Compact OH(1720 MHz) masers have proven to be excellent signposts for the interaction of supernova remnants with adjacent molecular clouds. Less appreciated has been the weak, extended OH(1720 MHz) emission which accompanies strong compact maser sources. Recent single-dish and interferometric observations reveal the majority of maser-emitting supernova remnants have accompanying regions of extended maser emission. Enhanced OH abundance created by the passing shock is observed both as maser emission and absorption against the strong background of the remnant. Modeling the observed OH profiles gives an estimate of the physical conditions in which weak, extended maser emission arises. I will discuss how we can realize the utility of this extended maser emission, particularly the potential to measure the strength of the post-shock magnetic field via Zeeman splitting over these large-scales.
We present the first results of our 3D Monte Carlo maser radiative transfer code, used to model the 1612 MHz OH maser shell and the amplification of emission from the stellar radio-photosphere.
A new class of OH (1720 MHz) masers unaccompanied by main-line transitions have recently been discovered (Frail, Goss and Slysh 1994). These masers lie at the interface between supernova remnants (SNRs) interacting with molecular clouds. We discuss three new aspects of SN masers found in the direction toward the Galactic center: (i) the detection of a new --130 \kms OH (1720 MHz) maser in the southern lobe of the molecular ring at the Galactic center, (ii) the detection of extended OH (1720 MHz) maser emission from W28 accompanying the compact maser sources and (iii) the detection of linear po…
(Pseudo) radiative pumprate of OH 1612 MHz masers is defined for a sample of 44 OH/IR sources (infrared sources with OH 1612 MHz maser), irrespective of the real maser pumping mechanisms. The correlation between the (pseudo) maser pumprates and the evolutionary status of the maser sources reveals that the radiative pumprates of stellar OH masers are nearly fixed, which agrees with the theoretical prediction for radiatively pumped OH maser. The (pseudo) radiative pumprates of interstellar OH masers are not only very small but also varying broadly over two orders of magnitude, which is argued to…
We report the first study of OH(1720 MHz) masers in the LMC in order to probe regions where supernova remnants interact with adjacent molecular clouds. Using the ATCA, we observed four sources in the LMC and detected a single OH(1720 MHz) maser with a flux density of 377 mJy toward 30 Doradus. No main line emission at 1665 or 1667 MHz was detected. The observed OH(1720 MHz) maser emission from 30 Dor shows characteristics similar to the well-known collisionally-pumped supernova remnant masers found in the Galaxy, though 30 Dor is known as a star forming region. It is possible that shocks drive…
The massive star-forming region G11.904-0.141 is one of only 11 sources to show maser emission in the highly-excited 13441 MHz transition of OH. VLBA observations of the 1665, 1667, 4765, and 13441 MHz transitions of OH toward G11.904-0.141 are presented. Masers are detected at 1665, 1667, and 4765 MHz, but the 13441 MHz masers are not detected. Consistent magnetic field strengths of approximately +3.5 mG are detected in the ground-state masers, in contrast with a possible -3.0 mG magnetic field previously detected at 13441 MHz. The variable 13441 MHz masers may be associated with an outflow.
OH masers at 1720 MHz have proven to be excellent indicators of interactions between supernova remnants and molecular clouds. OH excitation calculations suggest that the 6049 MHz OH maser line is excited for higher column densities than for the 1720 MHz line. Previous observations and modelling of 1612, 1665 and 1667 MHz OH absorption and 1720 MHz OH masers indicated that the column densities in some supernova remnants, ~1e17 cm^-2, may be high enough for 6049 MHz OH masers to exist. It is therefore a potentially valuable indicator of remnant-cloud interaction. We present excitation calculatio…
OH masers at 1720 MHz have proven to be excellent indicators of interactions between supernova remnants and molecular clouds. Recent calculations suggest that the 6049 MHz OH maser line is excited for higher column densities than for the 1720 MHz line. It is therefore a potentially valuable indicator of remnant-cloud interaction. We present preliminary results of a survey using the Parkes Methanol Multibeam receiver for 6049 MHz and 6035/6030 MHz OH masers towards 36 supernova remnants and 4 fields in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. While no 6049 MHz masers have been found, three new si…
This paper reviews recent advances in the study or circumstellar masers and masers found toward supernova remnants. The review is organized by science focus area, including the astrophysics of extended stellar atmospheres, stellar mass-loss processes and outflows, late-type evolved stellar evolution, stellar maser excitation and chemistry, and the use of stellar masers as independent distance estimators. Masers toward supernova remnants are covered separately. Recent advances and open future questions in this field are explored.
We present the first maps of 4765-MHz OH masers in two star-forming regions Cepheus A and W75N, made with Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network. In Cep A the emission has an arc-like structure of size 40 mas with a clear velocity gradient, and lies at the edge of H II region 3b Over a period of 8 weeks the maser diminished in intensity by a factor of 7 but its structure remained stable. This structure coincides with a newly mapped 1720-MHz maser in Cep A within the positional error, and matches it in velocity. The 1720-MHz line exhibits Zeeman splitting that corresponds to a magnet…
We have used the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) to make a sensitive (5-$σ$ $\simeq$ 100 mJy) search for maser emission from the 4765-MHz $^2Π_{1/2}$ F=1$\to$0 transition of OH. Fifty five star formation regions were searched and maser emission with a peak flux density in excess of 100 mJy was detected toward fourteen sites, with ten of these being new discoveries. In addition we observed the 4750-MHz $^2Π_{1/2}$ F=1$\to$1 transition towards a sample of star formation regions known to contain 1720-MHz OH masers, detecting marginal maser emission from G348.550-0.979. If confirmed this …
Recent observations show that the OH 1720 MHz maser is a powerful probe of the shocked region where a supernova remnant strikes a molecular cloud. We perform a thorough study of the pumping of this maser and find tight constraints on the physical conditions needed for its production. The presence of the maser implies moderate temperatures (50 -- 125 K) and densities ($\sim 10^5 cm^{-3}$), and OH column densities of order $10^{16} cm^{-2}$. We show that these conditions can exist only if the shocks are of C-type. J-shocks fail by such a wide margin that the presence of this maser could become t…
We have carried out a sensitive search for OH (1720 MHz) masers in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) toward five regions using the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). Our source list includes the 30 Doradus region, and four supernova remnants (SNRs): N44, N49, N120, and N132D. These data have a typical resolution of ~8 arcsec and rms noise levels of 5-10 mJy/beam. We have detected OH (1720 MHz) masers in the NE part of 30 Doradus and toward the SNR N49. The OH (1720 MHz) maser emission in 30 Doradus is coincident with a cluster of young stars known as ``Knot 1'', and is almost certainly o…
We report VLBA observations of maser emission from the rotationally excited doublet Pi 1/2, J=1/2 state of OH at 4765 MHz. We made phase-referenced observations of W3(OH) at both 4765 MHz and 1720 MHz and found emission in three fields within a about 2000 AU diameter region and verified that in two of the three fields, 4765 MHz and 1720 MHz emission arise from the same position to within about 4 mas (about 5 AU diameter emission regions along an approximately N-S arc with linear extent about 500 AU. In addition, we carried out phase-referenced observations of 4765 MHz emission from K3-50. We s…
(abridged) - We present arcsecond resolution observations from the VLA of the satellite line of the hydroxyl molecule (OH) at 1720.53 MHz toward three Galactic supernova remnants: W28, W44 and IC443. All of our observations are consistent with a model in which the OH(1720 MHz) is collisionally excited by H2 molecules in the postshock gas heated by a non-dissociative shock. Supernova remnants with OH(1720 MHz) maser emission may be promising candidates to conduct high energy searches for the sites of cosmic ray acceleration.
The environs of three supernova remnants (SNR) with associated OH 1720 MHz masers, G349.7+0.2, CTB 37A and G16.7+0.1, have been surveyed in the CO J=1-0 transition with the 12 Meter Telescope of the NRAO, using the On-The-Fly technique. These observations have revealed a number of molecular clouds interacting with the SNR shock fronts. Most of the OH 1720 MHz masers have been found to lie over CO concentrations, and the maser velocities are coincident with the CO peak velocities to an accuracy better than 2 km/s. The present data trace the interstellar medium (ISM) structures interacting with …
OH (1720 MHz) masers serve as indicators of SNR - molecular cloud interaction sites. These masers are collisionally excited in warm (50-100K) shocked gas with densities of order 1e5 cm^-3 when the OH column density is in the range 1e16-1e17 cm^-2. Here I present excitation calculations which show that when the OH column density exceeds 1e17 cm^-2 at similar densities and temperatures, the inversion of the 1720 MHz line switches off and instead the 6049 MHz transition in the first excited rotational state of OH becomes inverted. This line may serve as a complementary signal of warm, shocked gas…
A survey of the inner 8$^\circ \times 1^\circ$ of the Galactic plane toward the Galactic center has been carried out at the 1720 MHz transition of OH molecule using the VLA in its D configuration with a resolution of $\approx70''\times45''$. The detection of compact 1720 MHz OH masers associated with three supernova remnants G357.7+0.3, G1.13--0.1 (Sgr D) and G1.4--0.1 as well as new extended maser line emission from G357.7+0.3 and G357.7--0.1 (the Tornado Nebula) were then followed up by A-array observations with spectral and spatial resolutions of 0.3 \kms and $\approx3''\times2''$, respecti…
OH(1720 MHz) masers permit direct measurements of the magnetic field strength at the Galactic Centre, and their angular broadening constrains models for the medium that scatters radio waves in the central 100 pc of the Galaxy. As the 1720 MHz masers are unaccompanied by the main-line masers at 1665 and 1667 MHz, they must be pumped by collisions in molecular gas that is cooling after being overrun by a non-dissociative (i.e. C-type) shock wave. In particular, this confirms that the ``SNR'' Sgr A East is driving a shock into the M-0.02-0.07 molecular cloud. The intensity of the v=1--0 S(1) line…
Radio surveys of supernova remnants (SNRs) in the Galaxy have uncovered 19 SNRs accompanied by OH maser emission at 1720 MHz. This unusual class of maser sources is suggested to be produced behind a shock front from the expansion of a supernova remnant running into a molecular cloud. An important ingredient of this model is that X-ray emission from the remnant enhances the production of OH molecule. The role of X-ray emission from maser emitting (ME) SNRs is investigated by comparing the X-ray induced ionization rate with theory. One aspect of this model is verified: there is a strong associat…
While masers in the 1720 MHz transition of OH are detected toward many supernova remnants (SNRs), no other OH transition is seen as a maser in SNRs. We present a search for masers at 6049 MHz, which has recently been predicted to produce masers by pure collisional excitation at conditions similar to that required for 1720 MHz masing. The Effelsberg 100 m telescope was used to observe the excited-state 6016, 6030, 6035, and 6049 MHz lines of OH toward selected SNRs, most of which have previously-detected bright 1720 MHz masers. No excited-state masers are found toward SNRs, consistent with prev…
We present results of spectral line observations of the ground state transitions of hydroxyl(OH) toward supernova remnant IC 443 carried out with the Green Bank Telescope. At a spatial resolution of 7.2 arcminutes we detect weak, extended OH(1720 MHz) maser emission with OH(1667/5,1612 MHz) absorption along the southern extent of the remnant, where no bright compact maser sources have been observed previously. These newly detected SNR-type masers are coincident with known molecular clumps and a ridge of shocked molecular hydrogen indicative of the SNR shock front interacting with the adjacent …
We present Very Large Array (VLA) radio interferometry observations of the 1720 MHz OH masers in the Galactic Center (GC). Most 1720 MHz OH masers arise in regions where the supernova remnant Sgr A East is interacting with the interstellar medium. The majority of the newly found 1720 MHz OH masers are located to the northeast, independently indicating and confirming an area of shock interaction with the +50 km/s molecular cloud (M-0.02-0.07) on the far side of Sgr A East. The previously known bright masers in the southeast are suggested to be the result of the interaction between two supernova…
We have observed a sample of OH 1612-MHz masing objects in all four OH ground--state transitions with the Australia Telescope Compact Array. One likely post-AGB object is found to emit in the 1612-MHz, 1665-MHz and 1720-MHz transitions. We discuss the evidence that this object may be an early post-AGB object and the possibility for such a circumstellar envelope to harbour a 1720-MHz maser. We argue that during a very brief period, just after the star has left the thermally-pulsing phase of the AGB and the wind velocity starts to increase, post-AGB objects might show \sath emission. The best ob…
This Letter reports on initial Expanded Very Large Array (EVLA) observations of the 6035 MHz masers in ON 1. The EVLA data are of good quality, lending confidence in the new receiver system. Nineteen maser features, including six Zeeman pairs, are detected. The overall distribution of 6035 MHz OH masers is similar to that of the 1665 MHz OH masers. The spatial resolution is sufficient to unambiguously determine that the magnetic field is strong (~ -10 mG) at the location of the blueshifted masers in the north, consistent with Zeeman splitting detected in 13441 MHz OH masers in the same velocit…
Supernova remnants expanding into adjacent molecular clouds are believed to be sites of cosmic ray acceleration and sources of energetic gamma-rays. Under certain environmental conditions, such interactions also give rise to unusual OH masers in which the 1720 MHz satellite line dominates over the more common 1665/7 MHz emission. Motivated by the apparent coincidence of a handful of EGRET sources with OH(1720 MHz) maser-producing supernova remnants, we have carried out a search using the Very Large Array for new OH(1720 MHz) masers within the error regions of 11 unidentified EGRET sources at l…
High-resolution VLA observations of 1720 MHz OH maser emission from Sgr A East and the circumnuclear disk with spatial and spectral resolutions of $\approx$ 2\dasec5 $\times$ 1\dasec3 and 0.27 \kms are reported. This follow-up observational study focuses on the recent discovery of a number of such OH maser features and their intense circularly polarized maser lines detected toward these Galactic center sources. The 1720 MHz maser line of OH arises from collisionally excited gas behind a C-type shock and is an important diagnostic of the interaction process that may occur between molecular clou…
We present VLA observations in the hydroxyl line OH(1720 MHz) towards the supernova remnant W28. These high resolution images show a more extensive distribution of 1720 MHz emission than had previously been suspected from earlier single-dish observations. A total of 26 distinct maser spots were detected which lie on the edge of the radio continuum emission from W28 and are unresolved with our 12 arcsec resolution. Significant detection of linear and circular polarization in the maser spots is also made. The location of the maser spots, together with the physical conditions in the SNR and the a…
We report the detection of OH satellite line masers at 1720 MHz and 1612 MHz from the nuclear region of the starburst galaxy M82. The observations were aimed at detecting 1720 MHz maser emission from the known radio emitting SNR in the nuclear region. At 1720 MHz we detect six features above the 5-sigma limit set by noise, four in emission and two in absorption. Three of the emission features appear closely associated with known discrete continuum radio sources, and one of the absorption features is precisely coincident with the discrete continuum source 44.01+59.6. The latter source also exhi…
MERLIN and VLBA observations of the 1720 MHz maser emission from the OH molecule in the supernova remnant IC443 are presented. Based on MERLIN data with a resolution of 160 mas, the deconvolved sizes of the maser sources are in the range 90 to 180 mas (135 to 270 AU). The 12 mas resolution VLBA images show compact cores with sizes in the range 15 to 55 mas. The maser brightness temperatures are (2-34)x10^6 K for the MERLIN sources and (5-19)x10^8 K for the VLBA cores, in agreement with theory. Unlike the Zeeman Stokes V profiles observed in other OH (1720 MHz) SNR masers, single-handed circula…
Observations show that 1612 MHz masers of OH/IR stars can fade on a timescale of a decade. This fading is probably associated with the switch from rapid mass loss, which is ultimately linked with an internal He-shell flash, to the much slower mass loss supported by more quiescent conditions. We study the observed maser decay with a composite computational model, comprising a time-dependent chemical model of the envelope, and a radiation transfer model which provides the maser pumping. Our combined model is able to reproduce the rapid decay of maser intensity, following a sudden drop in the ste…
We present observations of molecular gas made with the 15-m James Clark Maxwell Telescope toward the sites of OH(1720 MHz) masers in three supernova remnants: W28, W44 and 3C391. Maps made in the 12CO J=3-2 line reveal that the OH masers are preferentially located along the edges of thin filaments or clumps of molecular gas. There is a strong correlation between the morphology of the molecular gas and the relativistic gas traced by synchrotron emission at centimeter wavelengths. Broad CO line widths (dV=30-50 km/s) are seen along these gaseous ridges, while narrow lines are seen off the ridges…
We present the results of the first complete survey of the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds for 6668-MHz methanol and 6035-MHz excited-state hydroxyl masers. In addition to the survey, higher-sensitivity targeted searches towards known star-formation regions were conducted. The observations yielded the discovery of a fourth 6668-MHz methanol maser in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), found towards the star-forming region N160a, and a second 6035-MHz excited-state hydroxyl maser, found towards N157a. We have also re-observed the three previously known 6668-MHz methanol masers and the single 60…
We have used the NRAO Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) to image OH(1720 MHz) masers in the supernova remnants W28 and W44 at a resolution of 40 mas. We also used MERLIN to observe the same OH(1720 MHz) masers in W44 at a resolution of 290 x 165 mas. All the masers are resolved by these VLBA and MERLIN observations. The measured sizes range from 50 to 180 mas and yield brightness temperature estimates from 0.3--20 x 10**8 K. We investigate whether these measured angular sizes are intrinsic and hence originate as a result of the physical conditions in the supernova remnant shock, or whether they …
The population inversion which leads to the 1612 MHz OH maser emission has long been thought to be radiatively pumped. Since OH rotational lines involved in this pumping scheme lie in the far-infrared they became observable only after the launch of the ISO satellite. With the aim to investigate the pumping conditions of the 1612 MHz OH maser emission in more details we have searched the ISO Archive for SWS observations around 34.6 um of 1024 OH/IR sources with IRAS LRS spectra from compilation of Chen et al. (2001). Surprisingly, among 81 OH/IR sources which have appropriate SWS data only alre…
We present OH maser observations at 1612, 1665, 1667, and 1720 MHz for 86 post-asymptotic giant branch (post-AGB) stars selected from a survey of 1612 MHz maser sources in the Galactic Plane. The observations were taken with the Parkes Telescope and the Australia Telescope Compact Array between 2002 September and 2003 August. Post-AGB stars are the precursors to planetary nebulae, the diverse morphological range of which is unexplained. The maser observations were taken to investigate the onset and incidence of wind asymmetries during the post-AGB phase. We re-detected all 86 sources at 1612 M…
We present the results of GBT observations of all four ground-state hydroxyl (OH) transitions toward 15 supernova remnants (SNRs) which show OH(1720 MHz) maser emission. This species of maser is well established as an excellent tracer of an ongoing interaction between the SNR and dense molecular material. For the majority of these objects we detect significantly higher flux densities with a single dish than has been reported with interferometric observations. We infer that spatially extended, low level maser emission is a common phenomenon that traces the large-scale interaction in maser-emitt…
Full-polarization MERLIN and VLBA observations of the 1720-MHz maser emission from the OH molecule in the supernova remnant W44 are presented. Zeeman splitting has been directly resolved between right- and left-circularly polarized spectra indicating magnetic field strengths of B~0.50 mG. The position angle of the linear polarization is in good agreement with the orientation of the shocked gas at the supernova remnant/molecular cloud interface. Based on MERLIN data having a resolution of 200 milliarcseconds (mas) and VLBA data with a resolution of 15 mas, the masers are measured to have deconv…
OH(1720 MHz) masers unaccompanied by 1665/7 MHz line masers have recently been proposed as indicators of the interaction of supernova remnants (SNRs) and molecular clouds. We present a model for the masing region in which water produced in a C-type shock wave driven into the molecular cloud is dissociated as a result of the X-ray flux from the SNR. We note that the magnetic field strengths inferred from Zeeman splitting of the 1720 MHz line measure the internal pressure of the supernova remnant. In addition, we discuss the interaction of Sgr A East, a SNR candidate, with the 50 km/s cloud at t…
We have used the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) to make a sensitive search for maser emission from the 4765-MHz transition of OH towards a sample of 55 star formation regions. Maser emission with peak flux densities in excess of 100 mJy were detected in 14 sites, with 10 of these being new discoveries. Unlike the ground-state OH transitions the 4765-MHz transition is not predicted to be circularly polarised and none of the masers observed have detectable levels of linear, or circular polarisation. Combining our results with those of previous high resolution observations of other OH t…
Full-polarization MERLIN and VLBA observations of the 1720 MHz maser emission from the OH molecule in the supernova remnant W28 are presented. Zeeman splitting (|B| \approx 0.75 mG) has been directly resolved between right- and left-circularly polarized spectra for the first time. Linear-polarization position angles and circular-polarization Zeeman splitting observed in the maser emission permit interpretation of a comprehensive picture of the magnetic field at the supernova/molecular cloud interface marked by the masers. We find the post-SNR-shock magnetic field to be well-ordered over the ~1…
The collisionally pumped, ground-state 1720 MHz maser line of OH is widely recognized as a tracer for shocked regions and observed in star forming regions and supernova remnants. Whereas some lines of excited states of OH have been detected and studied in star forming regions, the subject of excited-state OH in supernova remnants -- where high collision rates are to be expected -- is only recently being addressed. Modeling of collisional excitation of OH demonstrates that 1720, 4765 and 6049 MHz masers can occur under similar conditions in regions of shocked gas. In particular, the 6049 and 47…
A study of the distribution of OH gas in the central region of the nearby active starburst galaxy M82 has confirmed two previously known bright masers and revealed several new main line masers. Three of these are seen only at 1665 MHz, one is detected only at 1667 MHz, while the rest are detected in both lines. Observations covering both the 1665 and 1667 MHz lines, conducted with both the Very Large Array (VLA) and the Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN), have been used to accurately measure the positions and velocities of these features. This has allowed a comparison w…
The 1612 MHz hydroxyl maser in circumstellar envelopes has long been thought to be pumped by 34.6um photons. Only recently, the Infrared Space Observatory has made possible spectroscopic observations which enable the direct confirmation of this pumping mechanism in a few cases. To look for the presence of this pumping line, we have searched the Infrared Space Observatory Data Archive and found 178 spectra with data around 34.6um for 87 galactic 1612MHz masers. The analysis performed showed that the noise level and the spectral resolution of the spectra are the most important factors affecting …
We present VLBA observations of the ground-state hydroxyl masers in W3(OH) at 0.02 km s-1 spectral resolution. Over 250 masers are detected, including 56 Zeeman pairs. Lineshapes are predominantly Gaussian or combinations of several Gaussians, with normalized deviations typically of the same magnitude as in masers in other species. Typical FWHM maser linewidths are 0.15 to 0.38 km s-1 and are larger in the 1665 MHz transition than in the other three ground-state transitions. The satellite-line 1612 and 1720 MHz masers show no evidence of sigma^+/-2,3 components. The spatial positions of most m…
We investigated stellar maser sources with no IRAS counterpart at the radio, middle-infrared, and near-infrared wavelengths. A 43 GHz SiO maser search for 120 2MASS/MSX objects, and 10 OH 1612 MHz sources with no or a very faint MSX counterpart, resulted in 43 SiO detections: one OH 1612 MHz source, 2 near-infrared stars, and 40 MSX sources. Additional near-infrared J-, H-, and K-band observations of the OH 1612 MHz sources detected 5 near-infrared counterparts. Furthermore, middle-infrared imaging observations at 8.8, 9.7, 12.4, and 24.5 micron with the Subaru 8.2-m telescope found counterpar…
We present molecular-line observations at millimetre, centimetre and infrared wavelengths of the region containing OH(1720 MHz) masers in the supernova remnant (SNR) G349.7+0.2, using the Australia Telescope (AT) Mopra antenna, the Swedish-ESO Submillimeter Telescope, the AT Compact Array and the UNSW Infrared Fabry-Perot narrow-band filter installed on the Anglo-Australian Telescope. Several molecular transitions were observed between 1.6 and 3 mm to constrain the physical parameters of the molecular cloud interacting with the SNR and to investigate the effects of the SNR shock on the gas che…
We present the results of VLA observations in the ground-state hydroxyl (OH) transition at 1720 MHz toward 20 supernova remnants (SNRs). We detect compact emission from four objects. For three of these objects (G32.8-0.1, G337.8-0.1, and G346.6-0.2), we argue that the emission results from masers which are shock-excited due to the interaction of the SNR and an adjacent molecular cloud. We observe a characteristic Zeeman profile in the Stokes V spectrum, which allows us to derive a magnetic field of 1.5 and 1.7 mG for G32.8-0.1 and G346.6-0.2, respectively. The velocity of the masers also allow…
We present VLBA observations of 1667 MHz OH maser emission from the massive star formation region G5.89-0.39. The observations were phase referenced allowing the absolute positions of the masers to be obtained. The 1667 MHz masers have radial velocities that span ~50 km/s but show little evidence of tracing the bipolar molecular outflow, as has been claimed in previous studies. We identify 23 Zeeman pairs through comparison of masers in left and right circular polarization. Magnetic field strengths range from -2 mG to +2 mG, and an ordered reversal in magnetic field direction is observed towar…
A sample of J-type carbon stars was searched for OH maser emission. The new detection of three OH lines towards two silicate carbon stars is reported. In V778 Cyg, previously known as the main-lines (1665 and 1667 MHz) maser source, the satellite 1612 MHz emission was discovered while in NSV 2814 the main OH lines were detected. The presence of OH maser lines confirms the former suggestion that oxygen-rich material is located in the vicinity ($\approx$ $10^{15-16}$ cm) of silicate carbon stars.
A new 7-beam 6-7 GHz receiver has been built to survey the Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds for newly forming high-mass stars that are pinpointed by strong methanol maser emission at 6668 MHz. The receiver was jointly constructed by Jodrell Bank Observatory (JBO) and the Australia Telescope National Facility (ATNF) and allows simultaneous coverage at 6668 and 6035 MHz. It was successfully commissioned at Parkes in January 2006 and is now being used to conduct the Parkes-Jodrell multibeam maser survey of the Milky Way. This will be the first systematic survey of the entire Galactic plane for ma…
Stimulated emission of radiation has not been directly observed in astrophysical situations up to this time. Here we demonstrate that photons from pulsar B1641-45 stimulate pulses of excess 1720 MHz line emission in an interstellar OH cloud. As this stimulated emission is driven by the pulsar, it varies on a few millisecond timescale, orders of magnitude shorter than the quickest OH maser variations previously detected. Our 1612 MHz spectra are inverted copies of the 1720 MHz spectra. This "conjugate line" phenomenon enables us to constrain the properties of the interstellar OH line-producing …
Recent studies of methanol and ground-state OH masers at very high spectral resolution have shed new light on small-scale maser processes. The nearby source W3(OH), which contains numerous bright masers in several different transitions, provides an excellent laboratory for high spectral resolution techniques. We present a model of W3(OH) based on EVN observations of the rotationally-excited 6030 and 6035 MHz OH masers taken at 0.024 km/s spectral resolution. The 6.0 GHz masers are becoming brighter with time and show evidence for tangential proper motions. We confirm the existence of a region …
We present results of a high resolution survey of OH masers in Galactic Star Forming Regions in order to study the maser emission and establish a list of suitable candidates for higher resolution instruments follow up. We used the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) to observe the 1665, 1667, 1612 and 1720 MHz OH maser transitions within 41 regions. These are the first high resolution observations for most of the sources. For all the transitions 30 sites of maser emission were detected, 4 of the sources have new detections, and approximately 40% of the sources in the sample exhibit highly compact …
We report the detection of 1720 and 1612 MHz OH ground-state satellite line maser regions in the starburst galaxy NGC253. We find ten compact maser features all of which are located along the narrow ridge of bright radio continuum emission within the central 10 square arcseconds of the nucleus. The compact OH features appear physically associated with regions of dense molecular gas, supernova remnants, and HII regions. The data for several of the features are consistent with collisional inversion from the interaction of supernova remnant shocks with molecular gas, similar to that found for Gal…
The W28 supernova remnant is an excellent prototype for observing shocked gas resulting from the interaction of supernova remnants (SNRs) and adjacent molecular clouds (MCs). We present two new signatures of shocked molecular gas in this remnant. One is the detection of main-line extended OH (1667 MHz) absorption with broad linewidths. The column density of OH estimated from the optical depth profiles is consistent with a theoretical model in which OH is formed behind a C-type shock front. The second is the detection of extended, weak OH (1720 MHz) line emission with narrow linewidth distribut…
Aims: We have observed the 6030 and 6035 MHz transitions of OH in high-mass star-forming regions to obtain magnetic field estimates in both maser emission and absorption. Methods: Observations were taken with the Effelsberg 100 m telescope. Results: Our observations are consistent with previous results, although we do detect a new 6030 MHz maser feature near -70 km/s in the vicinity of W3(OH). In absorption we obtain a possible estimate of -1.1 +/- 0.3 mG for the average line-of-sight component of the magnetic field in the absorbing OH gas in K3-50 and submilligauss upper limits for the line-o…
The 1612 and 1667 MHz OH maser lines have been measured in all four Stokes parameters in 47 proto-planetary nebula (PPN) candidates. Out of 42 objects detected, 40 and 34 are 1612 and 1667 MHz emitters, respectively. The spectral extent of the 1667 MHz line overshoots that of the 1612 MHz line in about 80% of the targets. 52% and 26% of the 1612 and 1667 MHz sources, respectively, show linear polarization in at least some features. Circular polarization is more frequent, occurring in 78% and 32% of sources of the respective OH lines. The percentage polarization is usually small (<15%) reaching…
We present a survey of OH maser emission towards a sample of high mass protostellar objects made using the Nancay and GBT telescopes.OH maser emission was detected towards 63 objects with 36 new detections. There are 56 star-forming regions and 7 OH/IR candidates. There is no evidence that sources with OH masers have a different range of luminosities from the non-maser sources. The results of this survey are compared with previous water and class II methanol maser observations of the same objects. Some of the detected sources are only associated with OH masers and some sources are only associa…
We have carried out a series of observations of the 1665- and 1667-MHz transitions of the 2Pi_3/2, J=3/2 OH ground state towards six selected HII regions in the Large Magellanic Cloud (IRAS 05011-6815 and MRC 0510-689, 0513-694B, 0539-691, 0540-696B, 0540-697A) using the Australia Telescope Compact Array. The study has provided the first accurate positions for known 1665- and 1667-MHz OH masers as well as detecting several new masers. The regions all contain H_2O or CH_3OH masers but OH masers were detected in only four. The 1.6-GHz continuum emission was also imaged to investigate its spatial…
There is an approximately 60% detection rate for 1612 MHz masers in association with red, color-selected IRAS sources, though few are detected from the bluer circumstellar shells of Mira variables. On the other hand and complementarily, past, pre-IRAS 22 GHz surveys detected many water masers in association with Mira variables. This paper reports on a 22 GHz survey of blue, color-selected Miras at Haystack, wherein 18 new detections are found from 238 searched objects.
