Chemical fractionation of deuterium in the protosolar nebula

Understanding gas-grain chemistry of deuterium in star-forming objects may help to explain their history and present state. We aim to clarify how processes in ices affect the deuterium fractionation. In this regard, we investigate a Solar-mass protostellar envelope using an astrochemical rate-equation model that considers bulk-ice chem- istry. The results show a general agreement with the molecular D/H abundance ratios observed in low-mass protostars. The simultaneous processes of ice accumulation and rapid synthesis of HD on grain surfaces in the prestellar core hampers the deuteration of icy species. The observed very high D/H ratios exceeding 10 per cent, i.e., super- deuteration, are reproduced for formaldehyde and dimethyl ether, but not for other species in the protostellar envelope phase. Chemical transformations in bulk ice lower D/H ratios of icy species and do not help explaining the super-deuteration. In the protostellar phase, the D2O/HDO abundance ratio was calculated to be higher than the HDO/H2O ratio owing to gas-phase chemistry. Species that undergo evaporation from ices have high molecular D/H ratio and a high gas-phase abundance.Comment: 11 pages, 4 tables, 6 figures; +3 figures in appendix. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Gaussian Spectral Line Profiles of Astrophysical Masers

Calculations are performed to demonstrate the deviations from Gaussian that occur in the spectral line profiles of a linear maser as a result of the amplification process. Near-Gaussian profiles are presented for bright, interstellar 22 GHz water masers obtained from high resolution Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations of W3 IRS 5. For the profiles to be so close to Gaussian, the calculations indicate that these masers must originate in quite hot gas with temperatures greater than 1200 K -- a conclusion that is supportive of C-type shocks as the origin of these masers. In addition, the degree of saturation of these masers must be less than approximately one-third, from which it follows that the beaming angles are less than about 10^{-4} ster and the actual luminosities are modest. If spectral profiles that are as close to Gaussian as the profiles presented in this initial investigation are found to occur widely, they can be valuable diagnostics for the environments of astrophysical masers.Comment: 4 pages with 3 figures embedded in paper; uses AASTEX with emulateapj5.sty; accepted for publication in ApJ (Letters

Milliarcsecond structure and variability of methanol maser emission in three high-mass protostars

{The variability study of 6.7\,GHz methanol masers has become a useful way to improve our understanding of the physical conditions in high-mass star-forming regions.} {Based on the single-dish monitoring using the Irbene telescopes, we selected three sources with close sky positions.} {We imaged them using the European Very Long Baseline Interferometer Network and searched available data on VLBI archives to follow detailed changes in their structures and single maser spot variability.} {All three targets show a few groups of maser cloudlets of a typical size of 3.5\,mas and the majority of them show linear or arched structures with velocity gradients of order 0.22\kms\,mas$^{-1}$. The cloudlets and overall source morphologies are remarkably stable on time scales of 7-15\,yr supporting a scenario of variability due to changes in the maser pumping rate.}Comment: 20 page

New ex-OH maser detections in the northern celestial hemisphere

Aims.Molecular masers, including methanol and hydroxyl masers, and in particular the ones in excited rotational states (ex-OHmasers), are one of the most informative tools for studying star-forming regions. So, the discovery, of new maser sources in theseregions is of great importance. Many studies and surveys of ex-OH maser sources have been carried out in the southern celestialhemisphere, but only a few have been done in the northern hemisphere. The specific aim of this work is to close this gap.Methods.The star-forming regions in the northern hemisphere with known active methanol masers were observed to search for newex-OH maser sources with the 32 m and 16 m radio telescopes of the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre (VIRAC).Results.Three OH maser lines in the excited state at the 6035 MHz in three northern hemisphere star-forming regions are detected.The maser 189.030+0.783 was previously known, but we suggest this maser is a possible variable. We confirm recent detections ofthe ex-OH masers 85.41+0.00 and 90.92+1.49 by other authors. The magnetic field strength in the masering regions is estimated byusing right circular polarization (RCP) and left circular polarization (LCP) pair splitting. The high-velocity resolution provides uswith an estimation of a comparatively small magnetic field strength for the 189.030+0.783 and 90.92+1.49 star-forming regionsComment: 6 pages 1 figure 4 table

Subsurface chemistry of mantles of interstellar dust grains in dark molecular cores

Context. The abundances of many observed compounds in interstellar molecular clouds still lack an explanation, despite extensive research that includes both gas and solid (dust-grain surface) phase reactions. Aims. We aim to qualitatively prove the idea that a hydrogen-poor subsurface chemistry on interstellar grains is responsible for at least some of these chemical "anomalies". This chemistry develops in the icy mantles when photodissociation reactions in the mantle release free hydrogen, which escapes the mantle via diffusion. This results in serious alterations of the chemical composition of the mantle because pores in the mantle provide surfaces for reactions in the new, hydrogen-poor environment. Methods. We present a simple kinetic model, using existing astrochemical reaction databases. Gas phase, surface and subsurface pore reactions are included, as are physical transformations of molecules. Results. Our model produces significantly higher abundances for various oxidized species than most other models. We also obtain quite good results for some individual species that have adequate reaction network. Thus, we consider that the hydrogen-poor mantle chemistry may indeed play a role in the chemical evolution of molecular clouds. Conclusions. The significance of outward hydrogen diffusion has to be proved by further research. A huge number of solid phase reactions between many oxidized species is essential to obtain good, quantitative modeling results for a comparison with observations. We speculate that a variety of unobservable hydrogen-poor sulfur oxoacid derivatives may be responsible for the "disappearance" of sulfur in dark cloud cores.Comment: 12 pages, 4 tables, 1 figur

H2O Masers and Supersonic Turbulence

We use unpublished and published VLBI results to investigate the geometry and the statistical properties of the velocity field traced by H2O masers in five galactic regions of star formation -- Sgr B2(M), W49N, W51(MAIN), W51N, and W3(OH). In all sources the angular distribution of the H2O hot spots demonstrates approximate self-similarity (fractality) over almost four orders of magnitude in scale, with the calculated fractal dimension d between (approximately) 0.2 and 1.0. In all sources, the lower order structure functions for the line-of-sight component of the velocity field are satisfactorily approximated by power laws, with the exponents near their classic Kolmogorov values for the high-Reynolds-number incompressible turbulence. These two facts, as well as the observed significant excess of large deviations of the two-point velocity increments from their mean values, strongly suggest that the H2O masers in regions of star formation trace turbulence. We propose a new conceptual model of these masers in which maser hot spots originate at the sites of ultimate dissipation of highly supersonic turbulence produced in the ambient gas by the intensive gas outflow from a newly-born star. Due to the high brightness and small angular sizes of masing hot spots and the possibility of measuring their positions and velocities with high precision, they become a unique probe of supersonic turbulence.Comment: 40 pages with 14 total figures (figures 9 and 10 are multi-part) Accepted for publication ApJ, December 20, 2002, Vol. 581, n

Maser Emission, Spectral and Photometric Variability of V 645 Cyg and LkHα 234

Maser variability in young stellar objects can be related to episodic accretion outbursts. Among the young objects associated with maser sources, V 645 Cyg and LkH 234 are few of those that can be investigated in the optical range. We report their infrared and optical photometric variability, variation of optical spectral lines (H ), and check for their possible correlation with the maser activity.Переменность мазеров может быть связана с аккрецией вещества на молодой звездный объект. Среди молодых объектов, связанных с мазерными источниками, V 645 Cyg и LkH 234 немногие из тех, излучение которых проявляется в оптическом диапазоне. Исследована их инфракрасная (ИК) и оптическая фотометрическая переменность, переменность линий оптической части спектра (Н ), а также возможная корреляция с мазерной активностью.Работа А. П. Бисяриной по обработке и анализу спектральных данных и данных ИК наблюдений выполнена при финансовой поддержке РФФИ в рамках научного проекта №18-32-00314. Работа А. М. Соболева и А. П. Бисяриной по организации и анализу сопутствующих мазерных наблюдений, а также работа С.Ю. Горды по получению и обработке данных оптических наблюдений выполнена при поддержке гранта РНФ (№ 18-12-00193)

Recent updates on the Maser Monitoring Organisation

The Maser Monitoring Organisation (M2O) is a research community of telescope operators, astronomy researchers and maser theoreticians pursuing a joint goal of reaching a deeper understanding of maser emission and exploring its variety of uses as tracers of astrophysical events. These proceedings detail the origin, motivations and current status of the M2O, as was introduced at the 2021 EVN symposium