614 research outputs found
A Review of Maser Polarization and Magnetic Fields
Through polarization observations masers are unique probes of the magnetic
field in a variety of different astronomical objects, with the different maser
species tracing different physical conditions. In recent years maser
polarization observations have provided insights in the magnetic field strength
and morphology in, among others, the envelopes around evolved stars, Planetary
Nebulae (PNe), massive star forming regions and supernova remnants. More
recently, maser observations have even been used to determine the magnetic
field in megamaser galaxies. This review will present an overview of maser
polarization observations and magnetic field determinations of the last several
years and discuss the implications of the magnetic field measurements for
several important fields of study, such as aspherical PNe creation and massive
star formation.Comment: 10 pages, Review paper from IAU symposium 242 "Astrophysical Masers
and their Environments
The magnetic field of the proto-planetary nebula candidate IRAS 19296+2227
Context: Magnetic fields are thought to be one of the possible mechanisms
responsible for shaping the generally spherical outflow of evolved stars into
often aspherical planetary nebulae. However, direct measurements of magnetic
fields during the transition to the planetary nebula phase are rare.
Aims: The aim of this project is to expand the number of magnetic field
measurements of stars in the (proto-)planetary nebula phase and find if the
magnetic field strength is sufficient to affect the stellar outflow.
Methods: We used Very Long Baseline Array observations to measure the
circular polarization due to the Zeeman splitting of 22 GHz water masers in the
envelope of the proto-planetary nebula candidate star IRAS 19296+2227 and the
planetary nebula K3-35.
Results: A strong magnetic field of B||=-135+-28 is detected in the water
maser region of the proto-planetary nebula candidate IRAS 19296+2227. The water
masers of K3-35 are too weak to detect circular polarization although we do
present the measurements of weak linear polarization in those masers.
Conclusions: The field measured in the masers of IRAS 19296+2227 is
dynamically important and, if it is representative of the large scale field, is
an important factor in driving the stellar mass loss and shaping the stellar
outflow.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures; A&A accepte
Characterizing maser polarization: effects of saturation, anisotropic pumping and hyperfine structure
The polarization of masers contains information on the magnetic field
strength and direction of the regions they occur in. Many maser polarization
observations have been performed over the last 30 years. However, versatile
maser polarization models that can aide in the interpretation of these
observations are not available. We aim to develop a program suite that can
compute the polarization by a magnetic field of any non-paramagnetic maser
specie at arbitrarily high maser saturation. Furthermore, we aim to investigate
the polarization of masers by non-Zeeman polarizing effects. We aim to present
a general interpretive structure for maser polarization observations. We expand
existing maser polarization theories of non-paramagnetic molecules and
incorporate these in a numerical modeling program suite. We present a modeling
program that CHAracterizes Maser Polarization (CHAMP) that can examine the
polarization of masers of arbitrarily high maser saturation and high angular
momentum. Also, hyperfine multiplicity of the maser-transition can be
incorporated. The user is able to investigate non-Zeeman polarizing mechanisms
such as anisotropic pumping and polarized incident seed radiation. We present
an analysis of the polarization of v = 1 SiO masers and the 22 GHz water maser.
We comment on the underlying polarization mechanisms, and also investigate
non-Zeeman effects. We identify the regimes where different polarizing
mechanisms will be dominant and present the polarization characteristics of the
SiO and water masers. From the results of our calculations, we identify markers
to recognize alternative polarization mechanisms.Comment: 67 pages, 27 figures. Accepted to be published in A&
Possible magnetic field variability during the 6.7 GHz methanol maser flares of G09.62+0.20
(Abridged) Recently, the magnetic field induced Zeeman splitting was measured
for the strongest known 6.7 GHz methanol maser, which arises in the massive
star forming region G09.62+0.20. This maser is one of a handful of periodically
flaring methanol masers. The 100-m Effelsberg telescope was used to monitor the
6.7 GHz methanol masers of G09.62+0.20. With the exception of a two week period
during the peak of the maser flare, we measure a constant magnetic field of
B_||~11+-2 mG in the two strongest maser components of G09.62+0.20 that are
separated by over 200 AU. In the two week period that coincides exactly with
the peak of the maser flare of the strongest maser feature, we measure a sharp
decrease and possible reversal of the Zeeman splitting. The exact cause of both
maser and polarization variability is still unclear, but it could be related to
either background amplification of polarized emission or the presence of a
massive protostar with a close-by companion. Alternatively, the polarization
variability could be caused by non-Zeeman effects related to the radiative
transfer of polarized maser emission.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication Astronomy and
Astrophysic
Methanol masers probing the ordered magnetic field of W75N
The role of magnetic fields during the protostellar phase of high-mass
star-formation is a debated topic. In particular, it is still unclear how
magnetic fields influence the formation and dynamic of disks and outflows. Most
current information on magnetic fields close to high-mass protostars comes from
H2O and OH maser observations. Recently, the first 6.7 GHz methanol maser
polarization observations were made, and they reveal strong and ordered
magnetic fields. The morphology of the magnetic field during high-mass
star-formation needs to be investigated on small scales, which can only be done
using very long baseline interferometry observations. The massive star-forming
regionW75N contains three radio sources and associated masers, while a
large-scale molecular bipolar outflow is also present. Polarization
observations of the 6.7 GHz methanol masers at high angular resolution probe
the strength and structure of the magnetic field and determine its relation to
the outflow. Eight of the European VLBI network antennas were used to measure
the linear polarization and Zeeman-splitting of the 6.7 GHz methanol masers in
the star-forming region W75N. We detected 10 methanol maser features, 4 of
which were undetected in previous work. All arise near the source VLA1 of W75N.
The linear polarization of the masers reveals a tightly ordered magnetic field
over more than 2000 AU around VLA1 that is exactly aligned with the large-scale
molecular outflow. This is consistent with the twisted magnetic field model
proposed for explaining dust polarization observations. The Zeeman-splitting
measured on 3 of the maser features indicates a dynamically important magnetic
field in the maser region of the order of 50mG. We suggest VLA1 is the powering
sources of the bipolar outflow.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysic
Improved VLBI astrometry of OH maser stars
Aims: Accurate distances to evolved stars with high mass loss rates are
needed for studies of many of their fundamental properties. However, as these
stars are heavily obscured and variable, optical and infrared astrometry is
unable to provide enough accuracy.
Methods: Astrometry using masers in the circumstellar envelopes can be used
to overcome this problem. We have observed the OH masers of a number of
Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars for approximately 1 year with the Very Long
Baseline Array (VLBA). We have used the technique of phase referencing with
in-beam calibrators to test the improvements this technique can provide to Very
Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) OH maser astrometric observations.
Results: We have significantly improved the parallax and proper motion
measurements of the Mira variable stars U Her, S CrB and RR Aql.
Conclusions: It is shown that both in-beam phase-referencing and a decrease
in solar activity during the observations significantly improves the accuracy
of the astrometric observations. The improved distances to S CrB (418 +21 -18
pc) and RR Aql (633 +214 -128 pc) are fully consistent with published P-L
relations, but the distance to U Her (266 +32 -28 pc) is significantly smaller.
We conclude that for sources that are bright and have a nearby in-beam
calibrator, VLBI OH maser astrometry can be used to determine distances to OH
masing stars of up to ~2 kpc.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures; accepted for publication in A&A; for a version
with high-resolution figures see
http://www.astro.uni-bonn.de/~wouter/papers/astrom/astrom.shtm
Detection of thermal radio emission from a single coronal giant
We report the detection of thermal continuum radio emission from the K0 III
coronal giant Pollux ( Gem) with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array
(VLA). The star was detected at 21 and 9 GHz with flux density values of
and Jy, respectively. We also place a
upper limit of Jy for the flux density at 3
GHz. We find the stellar disk-averaged brightness temperatures to be
approximately 9500, 15000, and K, at 21, 9, and 3 GHz, respectively,
which are consistent with the values of the quiet Sun. The emission is most
likely dominated by optically thick thermal emission from an upper chromosphere
at 21 and 9 GHz. We discuss other possible additional sources of emission at
all frequencies and show that there may also be a small contribution from
gyroresonance emission above active regions, coronal free-free emission and
free-free emission from an optically thin stellar wind, particularly at the
lower frequencies. We constrain the maximum mass-loss rate from Pollux to be
less than yr (assuming a wind terminal
velocity of 215 km s), which is about an order of magnitude smaller than
previous constraints for coronal giants and is in agreement with existing
predictions for the mass-loss rate of Pollux. These are the first detections of
thermal radio emission from a single (i.e., non-binary) coronal giant and
demonstrate that low activity coronal giants like Pollux have atmospheres at
radio frequencies akin to the quiet Sun
The magnetic field of IRAS 16293-2422 as traced by shock-induced H2O masers
Shock-induced H2O masers are important magnetic field tracers at very high
density gas. Water masers are found in both high- and low-mass star-forming
regions, acting as a powerful tool to compare magnetic field morphologies in
both mass regimes. In this paper, we show one of the first magnetic field
determinations in the low-mass protostellar core IRAS 16293-2422 at volume
densities as high as 10^(8-10) cm^-3. Our goal is to discern if the collapsing
regime of this source is controlled by magnetic fields or other factors like
turbulence. We used the Very Large Array (VLA) to carry out
spectro-polarimetric observations in the 22 GHz Zeeman emission of H2O masers.
From the Stokes V line profile, we can estimate the magnetic field strength in
the dense regions around the protostar. A blend of at least three maser
features can be inferred from our relatively high spatial resolution data set
(~ 0.1"), which is reproduced in a clear non-Gaussian line profile. The
emission is very stable in polarization fraction and position angle across the
channels. The maser spots are aligned with some components of the complex
outflow configuration of IRAS 16293-2422, and they are excited in zones of
compressed gas produced by shocks. The post-shock particle density is in the
range of 1-3 x 10^9 cm^-3, consistent with typical water masers pumping
densities. Zeeman emission is produced by a very strong line-of-sight magnetic
field (B ~ 113 mG). The magnetic field pressure derived from our data is
comparable to the ram pressure of the outflow dynamics. This indicates that the
magnetic field is energetically important in the dynamical evolution of IRAS
16293-2422.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in A&
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