Astrophysical Masers: Proceedings of a Conference Held in Arlington, Virginia, USA 9–11 March 1992

Charles H. Townes (auth.), Andrew W. Clegg, Gerald E. Nedoluha (eds.)3540563431, 9783540563433, 0387563431

In this volume the full range of astrophysical maser research is covered, with contributions from many of the foremost researchers in the field. The topics include masers in star-forming, circumstellar and extragalactic environments, solar system masers, newly discovered masing transitions, variability, proper-motion studies, and theory. Since this was the first ever conference devoted exclusively to astrophysical masers, these proceedings provide a reference for this field which has not previously been available. “Astrophysical Masers” will be useful both to those who wish to study the physics of masers, and to those who wish to better understand the astrophysically important regions with which they are associated.

---

Table of contents :
The early years of research on astronomical masers….Pages 3-11
On the theory of naural masers….Pages 15-24
Line profiles in masers: Velocity relaxation….Pages 25-28
OH maser polarization….Pages 29-32
Coherence and incoherence in astronomical masers….Pages 33-36
A model for polarized OH masers….Pages 37-40
Submillimeter water masers….Pages 41-46
Linear and circular polarization for masers with weak zeeman splittings….Pages 47-50
Radiative transfer in three dimensional masers….Pages 51-54
A special database for gas-phase compounds studied by microwave spectroscopy and radio astronomy….Pages 55-58
Classification and statistical properties of H 2 O masers….Pages 61-64
Observations of new submillimeter maser lines of water and methanol….Pages 65-66
The CRL 34-m radio telescope at Kashima — A new strong tool in maser research — and the first results of a 22 GHz H 2 O maser survey….Pages 67-70
Molecular megamasers after ten years….Pages 73-82
VLBI observations of the water vapor megamaser in IC10….Pages 83-86
Extragalactic H 2 O masers….Pages 87-90
H 2 O megamaser variability….Pages 91-94
Interstellar masers: Then and now….Pages 97-107
Some interesting OH/H 2 O masers….Pages 108-111
High resolution centimeter radio continuum and ammonia maser observations of the W51 region of star formation….Pages 112-115
Masers in star-forming regions associated with cold, bright IRAS sources….Pages 116-119
CH in translucent molecular clouds….Pages 120-122
Ammonia masers in the interstellar medium….Pages 123-126
OH masers in star-forming regions: Interpretation of observations….Pages 129-132
Excited OH 4.7 GHz masers associated with IRAS far-infrared sources….Pages 133-136
The magnetic field of the Milky Way: OH maser Zeeman results….Pages 137-140
OH masers and bipolar molecular outflows associated with massive star formation….Pages 141-144
H 2 O maser survey of IRAS sources at high galactic latitude….Pages 147-150
Water masers associated with compact molecular clouds and ultracompact H ii regions: The extended sample….Pages 151-154
Molecular outflows and H2O masers: What type of connection?….Pages 155-158
A shock origin for interstellar H 2 O masers….Pages 159-163
Water maser emission toward ultracompact HII regions….Pages 164-167
Interacting H 2 O masers in star-forming regions….Pages 168-171
Origin of water masers in W49N….Pages 172-175
VLBI observations of the H 2 O supermaser outburst in the orion nebula….Pages 176-179
The Zeeman effect or linear birefringence? — VLA polarimetric spectral line observations of H 2 O masers….Pages 180-184
The Arcetri methanol VLBI receiver….Pages 187-190
A study of methanol masers at 36 and 44 GHz and 48 GHz thermal emission around them….Pages 191-194
Methanol masers in the southern Galaxy….Pages 195-198
Interstellar methanol masers….Pages 199-202
Synthesis images of 6.7-GHz methanol masers….Pages 203-206
Production of 12.2 GHz CH 3 OH masers — Preliminary results of an excitation study….Pages 207-210
Interferometric observations of 95 GHz methanol masers….Pages 211-214
On the classification and list of transitions of methanol masers….Pages 215-218
Physical and evolutionary status of G1.6–0.025 giant molecular cloud as revealed by 4 −1 -3 O E methanol weak maser….Pages 219-222
The proper motions of the H 2 O masers near W3(OH)….Pages 225-228
Kinematic studies of ultracompact HII region/molecular cloud interfaces….Pages 229-232
Space VLBI and the masers….Pages 233-236
Preliminary results from a study of the proper motion of water vapor masers in cepheus A….Pages 237-238
High- and low-velocity maser features….Pages 239-242
Proper motions of OH masers in W75N….Pages 243-243
Proper motion studies of H 2 O masers….Pages 244-247
Interstellar scattering of maser radiation….Pages 251-254
A VLBI survey of interstellar broadening of galactic OH masers….Pages 255-258
Angular wander measurements of maser clusters….Pages 259-263
The polarized water maser source in orion….Pages 267-270
Variations of optical and water maser emission from long period variables….Pages 271-274
An H 2 O flare in W49N….Pages 275-278
Time-variable OH emission from S269….Pages 279-282
Variations in polarization of IRAS 19566+3423 at the 1612 MHZ OH line from 1987 to 1992….Pages 283-286
Theory of fluctuations in unsaturated masers….Pages 287-290
Long-term observations of outbursts and variability of the W49N water masers….Pages 291-294
Water maser and optical variability for V778 CYG and EU and 1987–1991….Pages 295-298
Search for rapid variations in OH and H2O masers….Pages 299-302
Water maser bursts in W49M (1989–92)….Pages 303-306
Radiative instabilities in astrophysical masers….Pages 307-310
A monitoring program of interstellar OH and H 2 O masers….Pages 311-314
Water maser monitoring of IRAS 16293-2422….Pages 315-318
Recent studies of circumstellar masers….Pages 321-329
Observations of maser RRLs from the star MWC 349A….Pages 330-333
The color mimics of OH / IR stars….Pages 334-337
The masers of GY Aql….Pages 338-341
OH/IR stars and the Galactic Centre distance….Pages 345-348
OH maser emission from F- and G-type supergiant stars….Pages 349-352
OH masers in the circumstellar shell of the GIa supergiant AFGL 2343….Pages 353-356
Circumstellar OH masers….Pages 357-360
Pumping of main line masers in type I Miras….Pages 361-364
Unusual OH radio emission in Mira (o CET)….Pages 365-368
VLBI spectral line polarization observations of the OH masers in the supergiant IRC+10420….Pages 369-372
To mase or not to mase? Polarimetry of OH/IR stars….Pages 373-375
Evidence for competitive gain in OH transitions observed in circumstellar shells….Pages 376-379
Distance measurements of OH-IR sources….Pages 380-383
Further evidence for the photoproduction mechanism of the OH maser formation….Pages 384-387
Monte Carlo models of 1612 MHz OH masers in circumstellar shells….Pages 388-391
Properties of OH/IR stars in the galactic centre….Pages 392-395
The excitation of vibrationally excited H 2 O masers….Pages 399-402
The 22 GHz water maser of RX Bootis….Pages 403-406
The water maser properties of the arecibo sample of OH/IR stars….Pages 407-410
The evolution of water maser spectra in M type stars….Pages 411-414
Circumstellar water masers….Pages 415-418
Recent wort: On SiO masers at the Centro Astronómico de Yebes….Pages 421-424
SiO masers in VY CMa : Detection of maser emission in the v=4 state….Pages 425-428
Recent VLBI observations of SiO masers….Pages 429-432
86 GHz survey of IRAS point sources: 156 SiO, v=1, J=2→1 maser sources….Pages 433-436
Modeling SiO maser emission from late-type stars….Pages 437-440
The results of knife (Japanese MM-VLBI) on SiO masers….Pages 441-444
SiO maser emission and the intrinsic properties of MIRA variables….Pages 445-448
Molecular catastrophes and circumstellar SiO masers….Pages 449-452
Natural lasers and masers in the solar system….Pages 455-467
The OH radio emission of comet Levy 1990 XX….Pages 468-471
Astrophysical masers from a historical perspective….Pages 475-477