37 GHz methanol masers : Horsemen of the Apocalypse for the class II methanol maser phase?

We report the results of a search for class II methanol masers at 37.7, 38.3 and 38.5 GHz towards a sample of 70 high-mass star formation regions. We primarily searched towards regions known to show emission either from the 107 GHz class II methanol maser transition, or from the 6.035 GHz excited OH transition. We detected maser emission from 13 sources in the 37.7 GHz transition, eight of these being new detections. We detected maser emission from three sources in the 38 GHz transitions, one of which is a new detection. We find that 37.7 GHz methanol masers are only associated with the most luminous 6.7 and 12.2 GHz methanol maser sources, which in turn are hypothesised to be the oldest class II methanol sources. We suggest that the 37.7 GHz methanol masers are associated with a brief evolutionary phase (of 1000-4000 years) prior to the cessation of class II methanol maser activity in the associated high-mass star formation region.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

12.2-GHz methanol maser MMB follow-up catalogue - II. Longitude range 186 to 330 degrees

We present the second portion of a catalogue of 12.2-GHz methanol masers detected towards 6.7-GHz methanol masers observed in the unbiased Methanol Multibeam (MMB) Survey. Using the Parkes radio telescope we have targeted all 207 6.7-GHz methanol masers in the longitude range 186 to 330 degrees for 12.2-GHz counterparts. We report the detection of 83 12.2-GHz methanol masers, and one additional source which we suspect is thermal emission, equating to a detection rate of 40 per cent. Of the 83 maser detections, 39 are reported here for the first time. We discuss source properties, including variability and highlight a number of unusual sources. We present a list of 45 candidates that are likely to harbor methanol masers in the 107.0-GHz transition.Comment: Accepted MNRAS 19 July 201

Causal sites as quantum geometry

We propose a structure called a causal site to use as a setting for quantum geometry, replacing the underlying point set. The structure has an interesting categorical form, and a natural "tangent 2-bundle," analogous to the tangent bundle of a smooth manifold. Examples with reasonable finiteness conditions have an intrinsic geometry, which can approximate classical solutions to general relativity. We propose an approach to quantization of causal sites as well.Comment: 21 pages, 3 eps figures; v2: added references; to appear in JM

Evidence for ferredoxin glutamate synthase activity in grape shoot tissues

Research NoteFerredoxin glutamate synthase (ferredoxin glutamine: oxoglutarate aminotransferase, or Fd-GOGAT, EC 1.4.7.1) activity was detected in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.). Highest Fd-GOGAT activity was found in lamina tissue. Moderate levels of activity were found in petiole, tendril, rachis, and flower tissues. No activity was detected in extracts from pedicel tissue. Western blotting with rice Fd-GOGAT antibodies resulted in a positive reaction with single grape protein band of 73 kDa in all tissue types tested