7,929 research outputs found
BIMA Array Observations of the Highly Unusual SiO Maser Source with a Bipolar Nebulosity, IRAS 19312+1950
We report the results of mapping observations of the bipolar nebula with SiO
maser emission, IRAS 19312+1950, in the CO (J=1-0 and J=2-1), 13CO (J=1-0 and
J=2-1), C18O (J=1-0), CS (J=2-1), SO (J_K=3_2-2_1) and HCO+ (J=3-2) lines with
the Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland Association array. Evolutional status of this
source has been evoking a controversy since its discovery, though SiO maser
sources are usually identified as late-type stars with active mass loss. In
line profiles, two kinematical components are found as reported in previous
single-dish observations: a broad pedestal component and a narrow component.
Spatio-kinetic properties of a broad component region traced by 12CO lines are
roughly explained by a simple spherical outflow model with a typical expanding
velocity of an AGB star, though some properties of the broad component region
still conflict with properties of a typical AGB spherical outflow. A narrow
component region apparently exhibits a bipolar flow. The angular size of the
narrow component region is spatially larger than that of a broad component
region. Intensity distribution of the CS emission avoids the central region of
the source, and that of an SO broad component emission exhibits a small feature
peaked exactly at the mapping center. According to the present results, if a
broad component really originates in a spherical outflow, an oxygen-rich
evolved stellar object seems to be a natural interpretation for the central
star of IRAS 19312+1950.Comment: 27 pages, 11 figures; accepted for publication in Ap
Correlation between Infrared Colors and Intensity Ratios of SiO Maser Lines
We present the results of SiO millimeter-line observations of a sample of
known SiO maser sources covering a wide dust-temperature range. A cold part of
the sample was selected from the SiO maser sources found in our recent SiO
maser survey of cold dusty objects. The aim of the present research is to
investigate the causes of the correlation between infrared colors and SiO maser
intensity ratios among different transition lines. In particular, the
correlation between infrared colors and SiO maser intensity ratio among the
J=1-0 v=1, 2, and 3 lines are mainly concerned in this paper. We observed in
total 75 SiO maser sources with the Nobeyama 45m telescope quasi-simultaneously
in the SiO J=1-0 v=0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and J=2-1 v=1, 2 lines. We also observed the
sample in the 29SiO J=1-0 v=0 and J=2-1 v=0, and 30SiO J=1-0 v=0 lines, and the
H2O 6(1,6)-5(2,3) line. As reported in previous papers, we confirmed that the
intensity ratios of the SiO J=1-0 v=2 to v=1 lines clearly correlate with
infrared colors. In addition, we found possible correlation between infrared
colors and the intensity ratios of the SiO J=1-0 v=3 to v=1&2 lines. Two
overlap lines of H2O (i.e., 11(6,6) nu_2=1 -> 12(7,5) nu_2=0 and 5(0,5) nu_2=2
-> 6(3,4) nu_2=1) might explain these correlation if these overlap lines become
stronger with increase of infrared colors, although the phenomena also might be
explained by more fundamental ways if we take into account the variation of
opacity from object to object.Comment: 49 pages, 7 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication in ApJ. Full
resolution version available at
http://www.asiaa.sinica.edu.tw/~junichi/paper
Study of the Bipolar Nebula IRAS 19312+1950. I. Mapping Observations
IRAS 19312+1950 is an SiO maser source that exhibits a prominent bipolar
nebulosity. Mapping observations of this object were made in the CO J=1--0,
13CO J=1--0, C18O J=1--0, CS J=2--1, and HCN J=1--0 lines and in the 150 GHz
continuum band. Near-infrared imaging observations were also made in the J, H,
and K-bands. The line profiles of the 12CO and HCN spectra consist of a weak
broad component with a line width of about 50 km/s and a strong narrow
component of the width of about 3 km/s. The profiles of the 13CO, C18O, and CS
lines have only the narrow component. Both of the components have an intensity
peak at the IRAS position. The narrow component was clearly resolved with a
15'' telescope beam. The spectral energy distribution of this object exhibits a
doubly peaked profile between 1 and 25 micron. The 150 GHz continuum flux
density was found to be 0.07 Jy, which is consistent with the flux density
predicted by the expanding envelope model with a mass loss rate of ~10^{-4}
M_sun/y at a distance of 2.5 kpc. We argue that the broad component originates
from the expanding envelope of this object, and that the hot dust cloud, which
is the source of the narrow component, is also physically associated with this
object. Though the present observations do not preclude the possibility of a
young stellar object, we argue that it is less plausible. We conclude that IRAS
19312+1950 is an AGB/post-AGB star that is evolved from a massive progenitor.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures (jpg), high resolution figures available as no598
in http://www.nro.nao.ac.jp/library/report/list.html. PASJ, 56 No. 1 in pres
Nuclear radiation problems, unmanned thermionic reactor ion propulsion spacecraft
A nuclear thermionic reactor as the electric power source for an electric propulsion spacecraft introduces a nuclear radiation environment that affects the spacecraft configuration, the use and location of electrical insulators and the science experiments. The spacecraft is conceptually configured to minimize the nuclear shield weight by: (1) a large length to diameter spacecraft; (2) eliminating piping penetrations through the shield; and (3) using the mercury propellant as gamma shield. Since the alumina material is damaged by the high nuclear radiation environment in the reactor it is desirable to locate the alumina insulator outside the reflector or develop a more radiation resistant insulator
Database of Molecular Masers and Variable Stars
We present the database of maser sources in H2O, OH and SiO lines that can be
used to identify and study variable stars at evolved stages. Detecting the
maser emission in H2O, OH and SiO molecules toward infrared-excess objects is
one of the methods of identification long-period variables (LPVs, including
Miras and Semi-Regular), because these stars exhibit maser activity in their
circumstellar shells. Our sample contains 1803 known LPV objects. 46% of these
stars (832 objects) manifest maser emission in the line of at least one
molecule: H2O, OH or SiO. We use the database of circumstellar masers in order
to search for long-periodic variables which are not included in the General
Catalogue of Variable Stars (GCVS). Our database contains 4806 objects (3866
objects without associations in GCVS catalog) with maser detection in at least
one molecule. Therefore it is possible to use the database in order to locate
and study the large sample of long-period variable stars. Entry to the database
at http://maserdb.netComment: Accepted for publication in RA
BIMA CO Observation of EP Aqr the Semiregular Pulsating Star with a Double Component Line Profile
This paper reports the results of a Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland array
interferometric observation of EP Aqr, a semiregular pulsating star with a
double component line profile in the CO J=1-0 line. The broad component shows a
flat-top profile, and the narrow component shows a spiky strong peak. Though
the previous single dish observations suggested that the CO J=2-1 line exhibits
a Gaussian-like profile, the CO J=1-0 line does not. The spatial distributions
of both the narrow and broad components appears to be roughly round with the
same peak positions. No significant velocity gradient is seen. The
spatial-kinetic properties of the molecular envelope of EP Aqr are reminiscent
of a multiple shell structure model rather than a bipolar flow and disk model.
A problem of this interpretation is that no evidence of interaction between the
narrow and broad component regions is seen. A Gaussian-like feature seen in the
CO J=2-1 line might play a key role to understand the spatio-kinetic properties
of the molecular envelope of EP Aqr.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures; accepted for publication in Ap
The spatiokinematical structure of H_2O and OH masers in the "water fountain" source IRAS 18460-0151
Using the Very Long Baseline Array and the European VLBI Network, we have
observed 22.2 GHz H_2O and 1612 MHz OH masers in the "water fountain" source
IRAS 18460-0151. The H_2O maser spectrum has a very wide line-of-sight velocity
range (~310 km/s) and consists of three groups of emission features at the
blue-shifted (-68 km/s <~ V_LSR <~ -17 km/s) and red-shifted (V_LSR ~= 240
km/s) edges as well as around the systemic velocity (112 km/s <~ V_LSR <~ 133
km/s). The first two H_2O spectral components exhibit a highly-collimated
high-velocity bipolar jet on the sky, with an angular separation of ~120
milliarcseconds (mas) (240 AU in linear length) and a three-dimensional flow
velocity of ~160 km/s. The flow dynamical age is estimated to be only ~6 yr (at
the time of the observation epochs of 2006--2007). Interestingly, the systemic
velocity component clearly exhibits a spherically-expanding outflow with a
radius of ~36 AU and a flow velocity of ~9 km/s. On the other hand, the OH
maser spectrum shows double peaks with a velocity separation of ~25 km/s
(V_LSR=$111--116 and 138--141 km/s), as typically seen in circumstellar
envelopes of OH/IR stars. The angular offset between the velocity-integrated
brightness peaks of the two high-velocity H_2O components is ~25 mas (50 AU).
The offset direction and the alignment of the red-shifted maser spots are
roughly perpendicular to the axis of the H_2O maser flow. High-accuracy
astrometry for the H_2O and OH masers demonstrates that the collimated fast jet
and the slowly expanding outflow originate from a single or multiple sources
which are located within 15 mas (30 AU). On the other hand, the estimated
systemic velocity of the collimated jet (V_sys ~87--113 km/s) has a large
uncertainty. This makes it difficult to provide strong constraints on models of
the central stellar system of IRAS 18460-0151.Comment: 25 pages, 5 figures, 8 tables, accepted for publication in Ap
CO in OH/IR stars close to the Galactic centre
Aims: A pilot project has been carried out to measure circumstellar CO
emission from three OH/IR stars close to the Galactic centre. The intention was
to find out whether it would be possible to conduct a large-scale survey for
mass-loss rates using, for example, the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA).
Such a survey would increase our understanding of the evolution of the Galactic
bulge.
Methods: Two millimetre-wave instruments were used: the Nobeyama Millimeter
Array at 115 GHz and the Submillimeter Array at 230 GHz. An interferometer is
necessary as a `spatial filter' in this region of space because of the
confusion with interstellar CO emission.
Results: Towards two of the stars, CO emission was detected with positions
and radial velocities coinciding within the statistical errors with the
corresponding data of the associated OH sources. However, for one of the stars
the line profile is not what one expects for an unresolved expanding
circumstellar envelope. We believe that this CO envelope is partially resolved
and that this star therefore is a foreground star not belonging to the bulge.
Conclusions: The results of the observations have shown that it is possible
to detect line profiles of circumstellar CO from late-type stars both within
and in the direction of the Galactic bulge. ALMA will be able to detect CO
emission in short integrations with sensitivity sufficient to estimate
mass-loss rates from a large number of such stars.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
Identification of Very Red Counterparts of SiO Maser and OH/IR Objects in the GLIMPSE Survey
Using the 3.6/4.5/5.8/8.0 micron images with 1.2 arcsec pixel resolution from
the Spitzer/GLIMPSE survey, we investigated 23 masing and 18 very red objects
that were not identified in the 2MASS survey. Counterparts for all selected
objects were found in the GLIMPSE images. Color indices in these IR bands
suggest the presence of a high-extinction layer of more than a few tenths of a
solar mass in front of the central star. Furthermore, radio observations in the
SiO and H2O maser lines found characteristic maser-line spectra of the embedded
objects, e.g., the SiO J=1-0 line intensity in the v=2 state stronger than that
of the v=1 state, or very widespread H2O maser emission spectra. This indicates
that these objects are actually enshrouded by very thick circumstellar matter,
some of which cannot be ascribed to the AGB wind of the central star.
Individually interesting objects are discussed, including two newly found water
fountains and an SiO source with nebulosity.Comment: High resolution figures available at
ftp://ftp.nro.nao.ac.jp/nroreport/no653.pdf.gz. ApJ No. 655 no.1 issue in
pres
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