Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “GAS MASER”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

STAR-FORMING ACTIVITY IN THE H ii REGIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE IRAS 17160–3707 COMPLEX

We present a multiwavelength investigation of star formation activity toward the southern H ii regions associated with IRAS 17160–3707, located at a distance of 6.2 kpc with a bolometric luminosity of 8.3 × 10{sup 5} L {sub ⊙}. The ionized gas distribution and dust clumps in the parental molecular cloud are examined in detail using measurements at infrared, submillimeter and radio wavelengths. The radio continuum images at 1280 and 610 MHz obtained using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope reveal the presence of multiple compact sources as well as nebulous emission. At submillimeter wavelengths, we identify seven dust clumps and estimate their physical properties such as temperature: 24–30 K, mass: 300–4800 M {sub ⊙} and luminosity: 9–317 × 10{sup 2} L {sub ⊙} using modified blackbody fits to the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) between 70 and 870 μ m. We find 24 young stellar objects (YSOs) in the mid-infrared, with a few of them coincident with the compact radio sources. The SEDs of the YSOs have been fitted by the Robitaille models and the results indicate that those having radio compact sources as counterparts host massive objects in early evolutionary stages with best fit age ≤0.2 Myr. We compare the relative evolutionary stages of clumps using various signposts such as masers, ionized gas, presence of YSOs and infrared nebulosity, and find six massive star-forming clumps and one quiescent clump. Of the former, five are in a relatively advanced stage and one in an earlier stage.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Signatures of young star formation activity within two parsecs of Sgr A*

We present radio and infrared observations indicating ongoing star formation activity inside the ∼2–5 pc circumnuclear ring at the Galactic center. Collectively these measurements suggest a continued disk-based mode of ongoing star formation has taken place near Sgr A* over the last few million years. First, Very Large Array observations with spatial resolution 2.″17 × 0.″81 reveal 13 water masers, several of which have multiple velocity components. The presence of interstellar water masers suggests gas densities that are sufficient for self-gravity to overcome the tidal shear of the 4×10{sup 6} M{sub ⊙} black hole. Second, spectral energy distribution modeling of stellar sources indicates massive young stellar object (YSO) candidates interior to the molecular ring, supporting in situ star formation near Sgr A* and appear to show a distribution similar to that of the counter-rotating disks of ∼100 OB stars orbiting Sgr A*. Some YSO candidates (e.g., IRS 5) have bow shock structures, suggesting that they have gaseous disks that are phototoevaporated and photoionized by the strong radiation field. Third, we detect clumps of SiO (2-1) and (5-4) line emission in the ring based on Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy and Sub-Millimeter Array observations. The FWHM and luminosity of the SiO emission is consistent with shocked protostellar outflows. Fourth, two linear ionized features with an extent of ∼0.8 pc show blue and redshifted velocities between +50 and −40 km s{sup −1}, suggesting protostellar jet driven outflows with mass-loss rates of ∼5×10{sup −5} M{sub ⊙} yr{sup −1}. Finally, we present the imprint of radio dark clouds at 44 GHz, representing a reservoir of molecular gas that feeds star formation activity close to Sgr A*.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

ALMA OBSERVATIONS OF THE IRDC CLUMP G34.43+00.24 MM3: 278 GHz CLASS I METHANOL MASERS

We have observed a molecular clump (MM3) associated with the infrared dark cloud G34.43+00.24 in the CH{sub 3}OH J{sub K} = 9{sub –1}-8{sub 0} E, 5{sub 0}-4{sub 0} E, and 5{sub –1}-4{sub –1} E lines at sub-arcsecond resolution by using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array. By comparing the CH{sub 3}OH J{sub K} = 9{sub –1}-8{sub 0} E emission with the CH{sub 3}OH 5{sub 0}-4{sub 0} E and 5{sub –1}-4{sub –1} E emission, we have found that the CH{sub 3}OH J{sub K} = 9{sub –1}-8{sub 0} E emission is masing. We have clearly shown that the CH{sub 3}OH J{sub K} = 9{sub –1}-8{sub 0} masers arise from the post shocked gas in the interacting regions between the outflows and ambient dense gas. Toward the strongest peak of the CH{sub 3}OH maser emission, SiO J = 6-5 emission is very weak. This indicates that the CH{sub 3}OH maser emission traces relatively old shocks or weak shocks.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

VLA Survey of Dense Gas in Extended Green Objects: Prevalence of 25 GHz Methanol Masers

We present ∼1″–4″ resolution Very Large Array (VLA) observations of four CH{sub 3}OH J{sub 2}--J{sub 1}-E 25 GHz transitions (J = 3, 5, 8, 10) along with the 1.3 cm continuum toward 20 regions of active massive star formation containing Extended Green Objects (EGOs), 14 of which we have previously studied with the VLA in the Class I 44 GHz and Class II 6.7 GHz maser lines. Sixteen regions are detected in at least one 25 GHz line (J = 5), with 13 of 16 exhibiting maser emission. In total, we report 34 new sites of CH{sub 3}OH maser emission and 10 new sites of thermal CH{sub 3}OH emission, significantly increasing the number of 25 GHz Class I CH{sub 3}OH masers observed at high angular resolution. We identify probable or likely maser counterparts at 44 GHz for all 15 of the 25 GHz masers for which we have complementary data, providing further evidence that these masers trace similar physical conditions despite uncorrelated flux densities. The sites of thermal and maser emission of CH{sub 3}OH are both predominantly associated with the 4.5 μm emission from the EGO, and the presence of thermal CH{sub 3}OH emission is accompanied by 1.3 cm continuum emission in 9 out of 10 cases. Of the 19 regions that exhibit 1.3 cm continuum emission, it is associated with the EGO in 16 cases (out of a total of 20 sites), 13 of which are new detections at 1.3 cm. Twelve of the 1.3 cm continuum sources are associated with 6.7 GHz maser emission and likely trace deeply embedded massive protostars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

NH{sub 3}(3,3) AND CH{sub 3}OH NEAR SUPERNOVA REMNANTS: GBT AND VLA OBSERVATIONS

We report on Green Bank Telescope 23.87 GHz NH{sub 3}(3,3) emission observations in five supernova remnants (SNRs) interacting with molecular clouds (G1.4−0.1, IC 443, W44, W51C, and G5.7−0.0). The observations show a clumpy gas density distribution, and in most cases the narrow line widths of ∼3–4 km s{sup −1} are suggestive of maser emission. Very Large Array observations reveal 36 and/or 44 GHz CH{sub 3}OH maser emission in a majority (72%) of the NH{sub 3} peak positions toward three of these SNRs. This good positional correlation is in agreement with the high densities required for the excitation of each line. Through these observations we have shown that CH{sub 3}OH and NH{sub 3} maser emission can be used as indicators of high-density clumps of gas shocked by SNRs, and provide density estimates thereof. Modeling of the optical depth of the NH{sub 3}(3,3) emission is compared to that of CH{sub 3}OH, constraining the densities of the clumps to a typical density of the order of 10{sup 5} cm{sup −3} for cospatial masers. Regions of gas with this density are found to exist in the post-shocked gas quite close to the SNR shock front, and may be associated with sites where cosmic rays produce gamma-ray emission via neutral pion decay.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

THE BOLOCAM GALACTIC PLANE SURVEY. XIV. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MASSIVE STARLESS AND STAR-FORMING CLUMPS

We sort 4683 molecular clouds between 10° < ℓ < 65° from the Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey based on observational diagnostics of star formation activity: compact 70 μm sources, mid-IR color-selected YSOs, H{sub 2}O and CH{sub 3}OH masers, and UCH ii regions. We also present a combined NH{sub 3}-derived gas kinetic temperature and H{sub 2}O maser catalog for 1788 clumps from our own GBT 100 m observations and from the literature. We identify a subsample of 2223 (47.5%) starless clump candidates (SCCs), the largest and most robust sample identified from a blind survey to date. Distributions of flux density, flux concentration, solid angle, kinetic temperature, column density, radius, and mass show strong (>1 dex) progressions when sorted by star formation indicator. The median SCC is marginally subvirial (α ∼ 0.7) with >75% of clumps with known distance being gravitationally bound (α < 2). These samples show a statistically significant increase in the median clump mass of ΔM ∼ 170–370 M {sub ⊙} from the starless candidates to clumps associated with protostars. This trend could be due to (i) mass growth of the clumps at M-dot ∼200--440 M {sub ⊙} Myr{sup −1} for an average freefall 0.8 Myr timescale, (ii) a systematic factor of two increase in dust opacity from starless to protostellar phases, and/or (iii) a variation in the ratio of starless to protostellar clump lifetime that scales as ∼M {sup −0.4}. By comparing to the observed number of CH{sub 3}OH maser containing clumps, we estimate the phase lifetime of massive (M > 10{sup 3} M {sub ⊙}) starless clumps to be 0.37 ± 0.08 Myr (M/10{sup 3} M {sub ⊙}){sup −1}; the majority (M < 450 M {sub ⊙}) have phase lifetimes longer than their average freefall time.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

THE FIRST VERY LONG BASELINE INTERFEROMETRY IMAGE OF A 44 GHz METHANOL MASER WITH THE KVN AND VERA ARRAY (KaVA)

We have carried out the first very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) imaging of a 44 GHz class I methanol maser (7{sub 0}-6{sub 1} A {sup +}) associated with a millimeter core MM2 in a massive star-forming region IRAS 18151–1208 with KaVA (KVN and VERA Array), which is a newly combined array of KVN (Korean VLBI Network) and VERA (VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry). We have succeeded in imaging compact maser features with a synthesized beam size of 2.7 milliarcseconds × 1.5 milliarcseconds (mas). These features are detected at a limited number of baselines within the length of shorter than ≈ 650 km corresponding to 100 Mλ in the uv-coverage. The central velocity and the velocity width of the 44 GHz methanol maser are consistent with those of the quiescent gas rather than the outflow traced by the SiO thermal line. The minimum component size among the maser features is ∼5 mas × 2 mas, which corresponds to the linear size of ∼15 AU × 6 AU assuming a distance of 3 kpc. The brightness temperatures of these features range from ∼3.5 × 10{sup 8} to 1.0 × 10{sup 10} K, which are higher than the estimated lower limit from a previous Very Large Array observation with the highest spatial resolution of ∼50 mas. The 44 GHz class I methanol maser in IRAS 18151–1208 is found to be associated with the MM2 core, which is thought to be less evolved than another millimeter core MM1 associated with the 6.7 GHz class II methanol maser.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

A CATALOG OF METHANOL MASERS IN MASSIVE STAR-FORMING REGIONS. III. THE MOLECULAR OUTFLOW SAMPLE

We present an interferometric survey of the 44 GHz class I methanol maser transition toward a sample of 69 sources consisting of high-mass protostellar object (HMPO) candidates and ultracompact (UC) H ii regions. We found a 38% detection rate (16 of 42) in the HMPO candidates and a 54% detection rate (13 of 24) for the regions with ionized gas. This result indicates that class I methanol maser emission is more common toward the more evolved young stellar objects of our sample. Comparing with similar interferometric data sets, our observations show narrower linewidths, likely due to our higher spatial resolution. Based on a comparison between molecular outflow tracers and the maser positions, we find several cases where the masers appear to be located at the outflow interface with the surrounding core. Unlike previous surveys, we also find several cases where the masers appear to be located close to the base of the molecular outflow, although we cannot discard projection effects. This and other surveys of class I methanol masers not only suggest that these masers may trace shocks at different stages, but also that they may even trace shocks arising from a number of different phenomena occurring in star-forming regions: young/old outflows, cloud–cloud collisions, expanding H ii regions, among others.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

New maser emission from nonmetastable ammonia in NGC 7538. IV. Coincident masers in adjacent states of para-ammonia

We present the first detection of para-ammonia masers in NGC 7538: multiple epochs of observation of the {sup 14}NH{sub 3} (J, K) = (10, 8) and (9,8) lines. We detect both thermal absorption and nonthermal emission in the (10,8) and (9,8) transitions and the absence of a maser in the (11,8) transition. The (9,8) maser is observed to increase in intensity by 40% over six months. Using interferometric observations with a synthesized beam of 0.''25, we find that the (10,8) and (9,8) masers originate at the same sky position near IRS 1. With strong evidence that the (10,8) and (9,8) masers arise in the same volume, we discuss the application of pumping models for the simultaneous excitation of nonmetastable (J > K) para-ammonia states having the same value of K and consecutive values of J. We also present detections of thermal absorption in rotational states ranging in energy from E/k{sub B} ∼ 200 K to 2000 K, and several non-detections in higher-energy states. In particular, we describe the populations in eight adjacent rotational states with K = 6, including two maser transitions, along with the implications for ortho-ammonia pumping models. An existing torus model for molecular gas in the environment of IRS 1 has been applied to the masers; a variety of maser species are shown to agree with the model. Historical and new interferometric observations of {sup 15}NH{sub 3} (3,3) masers in the region indicate a precession of the rotating torus at a rate comparable to continuum-emission-based models of the region. We discuss the general necessity of interferometric observations for diagnosing the excitation state of the masers and for determining the geometry of the molecular environment.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Circumnuclear molecular gas in megamaser disk galaxies NGC 4388 and NGC 1194

We explore the warm molecular and ionized gas in the centers of two megamaser disk galaxies using K-band spectroscopy. Our ultimate goal is to determine how gas is funneled onto the accretion disk, here traced by megamaser spots on sub-parsec scales. We present NIR IFU data with a resolution of ∼50 pc for two galaxies: NGC 4388 with VLT/SINFONI and NGC 1194 with Keck/OSIRIS+AO. The high spatial resolution and rich spectral diagnostics allow us to study both the stellar and gas kinematics as well as gas excitation on scales only an order of magnitude larger than the maser disk. We find a drop in the stellar velocity dispersion in the inner ∼100 pc of NGC 4388, a common signature of a dynamically cold central component seen in many active nuclei. We also see evidence for noncircular gas motions in the molecular hydrogen on similar scales, with the gas kinematics on 100 parsec scales aligned with the megamaser disk. In contrast, the high ionization lines and Brγ trace outflow along the 100 parsec-scale jet. In NGC 1194, the continuum from the accreting black hole is very strong, making it difficult to measure robust two-dimensional kinematics, but the spatial distribution and line ratios of the molecular hydrogen and Brγ have consistent properties between the two galaxies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

THE MEGAMASER COSMOLOGY PROJECT. VII. INVESTIGATING DISK PHYSICS USING SPECTRAL MONITORING OBSERVATIONS

We use single-dish radio spectra of known 22 GHz H{sub 2}O megamasers, primarily gathered from the large data set observed by the Megamaser Cosmology Project, to identify Keplerian accretion disks and to investigate several aspects of the disk physics. We test a mechanism for maser excitation proposed by Maoz and McKee (1998), whereby population inversion arises in gas behind spiral shocks traveling through the disk. Though the flux of redshifted features is larger on average than that of blueshifted features, in support of the model, the high-velocity features show none of the predicted systematic velocity drifts. We find rapid intra-day variability in the maser spectrum of ESO 558−G009 that is likely the result of interstellar scintillation, for which we favor a nearby (D ≈ 70 pc) scattering screen. In a search for reverberation in six well-sampled sources, we find that any radially propagating signal must be contributing ≲10% of the total variability. We also set limits on the magnetic field strengths in seven sources, using strong flaring events to check for the presence of Zeeman splitting. These limits are typically 200–300 mG (1σ), but our most stringent limits reach down to 73 mG for the galaxy NGC 1194.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

WIDE FIELD CO MAPPING IN THE REGION OF IRAS 19312+1950

We report the results of wide field CO mapping in the region of IRAS 19312+1950. This Infrared Astronomical Satellite ( IRAS ) object exhibits SiO/H{sub 2}O/OH maser emission, and is embedded in a chemically rich molecular component, the origin of which is still unknown. In order to reveal the entire structure and gas mass of the surrounding molecular component for the first time, we have mapped a wide region around IRAS 19312+1950 in the {sup 12}CO J = 1–0, {sup 13}CO J = 1–0 and C{sup 18}O J = 1–0 lines using the Nobeyama 45 m telescope. In conjunction with archival CO maps, we investigated a region up to 20′ × 20′ in size around this IRAS object. We calculated the CO gas mass assuming local thermal equilibrium, the stellar velocity through the interstellar medium assuming an analytic model of bow shock, and the absolute luminosity, using the latest archival data and trigonometric parallax distance. The derived gas mass (225 M {sub ⊙}–478 M {sub ⊙}) of the molecular component and the relatively large luminosity (2.63 × 10{sup 4} L {sub ☉}) suggest that the central SiO/H{sub 2}O/OH maser source is a red supergiant rather than an asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star or post-AGB star.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Detection of HC{sub 3}N maser emission in NGC 253

We report the detection of maser emission from the J=4--3 transition of HC{sub 3}N at 36.4 GHz toward the nearby starburst galaxy NGC 253. This is the first detection of maser emission from this transition in either a Galactic or extragalactic source. The HC{sub 3}N maser emission has a brightness temperature in excess of 2500 K and is offset from the center of the galaxy by approximately 18″ (300 pc), but close to a previously reported class I methanol maser. Both the HC{sub 3}N and methanol masers appear to arise near the interface between the galactic bar and the central molecular zone, where it is thought that molecular gas is being transported inwards, producing a region of extensive low-velocity shocks.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Survey of Water and Ammonia in Nearby Galaxies (SWAN): Resolved Ammonia Thermometry, and Water and Methanol Masers in the Nuclear Starburst of NGC 253

We present Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array molecular line observations of the nearby starburst galaxy NGC 253, from SWAN, the Survey of Water and Ammonia in Nearby galaxies. SWAN is a molecular line survey at centimeter wavelengths designed to reveal the physical conditions of star-forming gas over a range of star-forming galaxies. NGC 253 has been observed in four 1 GHz bands from 21 to 36 GHz at 6″ ∼ 100 pc) spatial and 3.5 km s{sup −1} spectral resolution. In total we detect 19 transitions from 7 molecular and atomic species. We have targeted the metastable inversion transitions of ammonia (NH{sub 3}) from (1, 1) to (5, 5) and the (9, 9) line, the 22.2 GHz water (H{sub 2}O) (6{sub 16}--5{sub 23}) maser, and the 36.1 GHz methanol (CH{sub 3}OH) (4{sub −1}--3{sub 0}) maser. Using NH{sub 3} as a thermometer, we present evidence for uniform heating over the central kpc of NGC 253. The molecular gas is best described by a two kinetic temperature model with a warm 130 K and a cooler 57 K component. A comparison of these observations with previous ALMA results suggests that the molecular gas is not heated in photon-dominated regions or shocks. It is possible that the gas is heated by turbulence or cosmic rays. In the galaxy center we find evidence for NH{sub 3}(3, 3) masers. Furthermore, we present velocities and luminosities of three water maser features related to the nuclear starburst. We partially resolve CH{sub 3}OH masers seen at the edges of the bright molecular emission, which coincides with expanding molecular superbubbles. This suggests that the masers are pumped by weak shocks in the bubble surfaces.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

3-cm fine structure masers: A unique signature of supermassive black hole formation via direct collapse in the early universe

The direct collapse black hole (DCBH) scenario describes the isothermal collapse of a pristine gas cloud directly into a massive, M{sub BH} = 10{sup 4}–10{sup 6}M{sub ⊙} black hole. In this paper we show that large H i column densities of primordial gas at T∼10{sup 4} K with low molecular abundance—which represent key aspects of the DCBH scenario—provide optimal conditions for the pumping of the 2p-level of atomic hydrogen by trapped Lyα photons. This Lyα pumping mechanism gives rise to an inverted level population of the 2s{sub 1/2}−2p{sub 3/2} transition, and therefore also gives rise to stimulated fine structure emission at λ=3.04 cm (rest-frame). We show that simplified models of the DCBH scenario amplify the CMB by up to a factor of ∼10{sup 5}, above which the maser saturates. Hyperfine splitting of the 3 cm transition gives rise to a characteristic broad (FWHM ∼ tens of MHz in the observers frame) asymmetric line profile. This signal subtends an angular scale of ∼1–10 mas, which translates to a flux of ∼0.3–3 μJy, which is detectable with ultra-deep surveys being planned with SKA1-MID. While challenging, as the signal is visible for a fraction of the collapse time of the cloud, the matching required physical conditions imply that a detection of the redshifted 3-cm emission line could provide direct evidence for the DCBH scenario.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Class I methanol (CH{sub 3}OH) maser conditions near supernova remnants

We present results from calculations of the physical conditions necessary for the occurrence of 36.169 (4{sub –1}-3{sub 0} E), 44.070 (7{sub 0}-6{sub 1} A {sup +}), 84.521 (5{sub –1}-4{sub 0} E), and 95.169 (8{sub 0}-7{sub 1} A {sup +}) GHz methanol (CH{sub 3}OH) maser emission lines near supernova remnants (SNRs), using the MOLPOP-CEP program. The calculations show that given a sufficient methanol abundance, methanol maser emission arises over a wide range of densities and temperatures, with optimal conditions at n ∼ 10{sup 4}-10{sup 6} cm{sup –3} and T > 60 K. The 36 GHz and 44 GHz transitions display more significant maser optical depths compared to the 84 GHz and 95 GHz transitions over the majority of physical conditions. It is also shown that line ratios are an important and applicable probe of the gas conditions. The line ratio changes are largely a result of the E-type transitions becoming quenched faster at increasing densities. The modeling results are discussed using recent observations of CH{sub 3}OH and hydroxyl (OH) masers near the SNRs G1.4–0.1, W28, and Sgr A East.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

The Molecular Gas Environment in the 20 km s{sup −1} Cloud in the Central Molecular Zone

We recently reported a population of protostellar candidates in the 20 km s{sup −1} cloud in the Central Molecular Zone of the Milky Way, traced by H{sub 2}O masers in gravitationally bound dense cores. In this paper, we report molecular line studies with high angular resolution (∼3″) of the environment of star formation in this cloud. Maps of various molecular line transitions as well as the continuum at 1.3 mm are obtained using the Submillimeter Array. Five NH{sub 3} inversion lines and the 1.3 cm continuum are observed with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array. The interferometric observations are complemented with single-dish data. We find that the CH{sub 3}OH, SO, and HNCO lines, which are usually shock tracers, are better correlated spatially with the compact dust emission from dense cores among the detected lines. These lines also show enhancement in intensities with respect to SiO intensities toward the compact dust emission, suggesting the presence of slow shocks or hot cores in these regions. We find gas temperatures of ≳100 K at 0.1 pc scales based on RADEX modeling of the H{sub 2}CO and NH{sub 3} lines. Although no strong correlations between temperatures and linewidths/H{sub 2}O maser luminosities are found, in high-angular-resolution maps we note several candidate shock-heated regions offset from any dense cores, as well as signatures of localized heating by protostars in several dense cores. Our findings suggest that at 0.1 pc scales in this cloud star formation and strong turbulence may together affect the chemistry and temperature of the molecular gas.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Detection of 36 GHz Class I Methanol Maser Emission toward NGC 4945

We have searched for emission from the 36.2 GHz (4{sub −1}→3{sub 0}E) methanol transition toward NGC 4945, using the Australia Telescope Compact Array. 36.2 GHz methanol emission was detected offset southeast from the Galactic nucleus. The methanol emission is narrow, with a line width <10 km s{sup −1} and a luminosity five orders of magnitude higher than Galactic class I masers from the same transition. These characteristics combined the with physical separation from the strong central thermal emission suggests that the methanol emission is a maser. This emission is a factor of ∼90 more luminous than the widespread emission detected from the Milky Way central molecular zone. This is the fourth detection of extragalactic class I emission and the third detection of extragalactic 36.2 GHz maser emission. These extragalactic class I methanol masers do not appear to be simply highly luminous variants of Galactic class I emission and instead appear to trace large-scale regions of low-velocity shocks in molecular gas, which may precede, or be associated with, the early stages of large-scale star formation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗