THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE STRONGEST GALACTIC METHANOL MASER
- Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn (Germany)
- Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)
- School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 37, Hobart, Tasmania 7001 (Australia)
The high-mass star-forming site G009.62+00.20 E hosts the 6.7 GHz methanol maser source with the greatest flux density in the Galaxy which has been flaring periodically over the last 10 yr. We performed high-resolution astrometric measurements of the CH{sub 3}OH, H{sub 2}O, and OH maser emission and 7 mm continuum in the region. The radio continuum emission was resolved in two sources separated by 1300 AU. The CH{sub 3}OH maser cloudlets are distributed along two north–south ridges of emission to the east and west of the strongest radio continuum component. This component likely pinpoints a massive young stellar object which heats up its dusty envelope, providing a constant IR pumping for the Class II CH{sub 3}OH maser transitions. We suggest that the periodic maser activity may be accounted for by an independent, pulsating, IR radiation field provided by a bloated protostar in the vicinity of the brightest masers. We also report the discovery of an elliptical distribution of CH{sub 3}OH maser emission in the region of periodic variability.
- OSTI ID:
- 22518993
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 804, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2041-8205
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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