No Arabic abstract
We present the first detection of para-ammonia masers in NGC 7538: multiple epochs of observation of the 14NH3 (J,K) = (10,8) and (9,8) lines. We detect both thermal absorption and nonthermal emission in the (10,8) and (9,8) transitions and the absence of a maser in the (11,8) transition. The (9,8) maser is observed to increase in intensity by 40% over six months. Using interferometric observations with a synthesized beam of 0.25, we find that the (10,8) and (9,8) masers originate at the same sky position near IRS1. With strong evidence that the (10,8) and (9,8) masers arise in the same volume, we discuss the application of pumping models for the simultaneous excitation of nonmetastable (J > K) para-ammonia states having the same value of K and consecutive values of J. We also present detections of thermal absorption in rotational states ranging in energy from E/k_B ~ 200 K to 2000 K, and several non-detections in higher-energy states. In particular, we describe the populations in eight adjacent rotational states with K=6, including two maser transitions, along with the implications for ortho-ammonia pumping models. An existing torus model for molecular gas in the environment of IRS1 has been applied to the masers; a variety of maser species are shown to agree with the model. Historical and new interferometric observations of 15NH3 (3,3) masers in the region indicate a precession of the rotating torus at a rate comparable to continuum-emission-based models of the region. We discuss the general necessity of interferometric observations for diagnosing the excitation state of the masers and for determining the geometry of the molecular environment.
Collisional de-excitation rates of partially deuterated molecules are different from the fully hydrogenated species because of lowering of symmetry. We compute the collisional (de)excitation rates of ND2H by ground state para-H2, extending the previous results for He- lium. We describe the changes in the potential energy surface of NH3- H2 involved by the pres- ence of two deuterium nuclei. Cross sections are calculated within the full close-coupling ap- proach and augmented with coupled-state calculations. Collisional rate coefficients are given between 5 and 35 K, a range of temperatures which is relevant to cold interstellar conditions. We find that the collisional rates of ND2H by H2 are about one order of magnitude higher than those obtained with Helium as perturber. These results are essential to radiative transfer modelling and will allow to interpret the millimeter and submillimeter detections of ND2H with better constraints than previously.
With the 100-m telescope at Effelsberg, 19 ammonia (NH3) maser lines have been detected toward the prominent massive star forming region W51-IRS2. Eleven of these inversion lines, the (J,K) = (6,2), (5,3), (7,4), (8,5), (7,6), (7,7), (9,7), (10,7), (9,9), (10,9), and (12,12) transitions, are classified as masers for the first time in outer space. All detected masers are related to highly excited inversion doublets. The (5,4) maser originates from an inversion doublet 340 K above the ground state, while the (12,12) transition, at 1450 K, is the most highly excited NH3 maser line so far known. Strong variability is seen not only in ortho- but also in para-NH3 transitions. Bright narrow emission features are observed, for the first time, in (mostly) ortho-ammonia transitions, at V ~ 45 km/s, well separated from the quasi-thermal emission near 60 km/s. These features were absent 25 years ago and show a velocity drift of about +0.2 km/s/yr. The component is likely related to the SiO maser source in W51-IRS2 and a possible scenario explaining the velocity drift is outlined. The 57 km/s component of the (9,6) maser line is found to be strongly linearly polarized. Maser emission in the (J,K) to (J+1,K) inversion doublets is strictly forbidden by selection rules for electric dipole transitions in the ground vibrational state. However, such pairs (and even triplets with (J+2,K)) are common toward W51-IRS2. Similarities in line widths and velocities indicate that such groups of maser lines arise from the same regions, which can be explained by pumping through vibrational excitation. The large number of NH3 maser lines in W51-IRS2 is most likely related to the exceptionally high kinetic temperature and NH3 column density of this young massive star forming region.
We have used the JVLA at the 1 cm band to map five highly-excited metastable inversion transitions of ammonia, (J,K)=(6,6), (7,7), (9,9), (10,10), and (13,13), in W51 IRS2 with ~0.2 angular resolution. We present detections of both thermal (extended) ammonia emission in the five inversion lines, with rotational states ranging in energy from about 400 to 1700 K, and point-like ammonia maser emission in the (6,6), (7,7), and (9,9) lines. The thermal ammonia emits around a velocity of 60 km/s, near the clouds systemic velocity, is elongated in the east-west direction across 4 and is confined by the HII regions W51d, W51d1, and W51d2. The ammonia masers are observed in the eastern tip of the dense clump traced by thermal ammonia, offset by 0.65 to the East from its emission peak, and have a peak velocity at ~47.5 km/s. No maser components are detected near the systemic velocity. The ammonia masers are separated by 0.65 (3500 AU) from the (rare) vibrationally-excited SiO masers, excited by the deeply-embedded YSO W51-North. This excludes that the two maser species are excited by the same object. Interestingly, the ammonia masers originate at the same sky position as a peak in a submm line of SO2 imaged with the SMA, tracing a face-on circumstellar disk/ring around W51-North. In addition, the thermal emission from the most highly excited ammonia lines, (10,10) and (13,13), shows two main condensations, the dominant one towards W51-North with the SiO/H2O masers, and a weaker peak at the ammonia maser position. We propose a scenario where the ring seen in SO2 emission is a circumbinary disk surrounding (at least) two high-mass YSOs, W51-North (exciting the SiO masers) and a nearby companion (exciting the ammonia masers), separated by 3500 AU. This finding indicates a physical connection (in a binary) between the two rare SiO and ammonia maser species.
To investigate whether distinctions exist between low and high-luminosity Class II 6.7-GHz methanol masers, we have undertaken multi-line mapping observations of various molecular lines, including the NH3(1,1), (2,2), (3,3), (4,4) and 12CO(1-0) transitions, towards a sample of 9 low-luminosity 6.7-GHz masers, and 12CO (1-0) observations towards a sample of 8 high-luminosity 6.7-GHz masers, for which we already had NH3 spectral line data. Emission in the NH3 (1,1), (2,2) and (3,3) transitions was detected in 8 out of 9 low-luminosity maser sources, in which 14 cores were identified. We derive densities, column densities, temperatures, core sizes and masses of both low and high-luminosity maser regions. Comparative analysis of the physical quantities reveals marked distinctions between the low-luminosity and high-luminosity groups: in general, cores associated with high-luminosity 6.7-GHz masers are larger and more massive than those traced by low-luminosity 6.7-GHz masers; regions traced by the high-luminosity masers have larger column densities but lower densities than those of the low-luminosity maser regions. Further, strong correlations between 6.7-GHz maser luminosity and NH3(1,1) and (2,2) line widths are found, indicating that internal motions in high-luminosity maser regions are more energetic than those in low-luminosity maser regions. A 12CO (1-0) outflow analysis also shows distinctions in that outflows associated with high-luminosity masers have wider line wings and larger sizes than those associated with low-luminosity masers.
We present the results of a Nobeyama 45-m water maser and ammonia survey of all 94 northern GLIMPSE Extended Green Objects (EGOs), a sample of massive young stellar objects (MYSOs) identified based on their extended 4.5 micron emission. We observed the ammonia (1,1), (2,2), and (3,3) inversion lines, and detect emission towards 97%, 63%, and 46% of our sample, respectively (median rms ~50 mK). The water maser detection rate is 68% (median rms ~0.11 Jy). The derived water maser and clump-scale gas properties are consistent with the identification of EGOs as young MYSOs. To explore the degree of variation among EGOs, we analyze subsamples defined based on MIR properties or maser associations. Water masers and warm dense gas, as indicated by emission in the higher-excitation ammonia transitions, are most frequently detected towards EGOs also associated with both Class I and II methanol masers. 95% (81%) of such EGOs are detected in water (ammonia(3,3)), compared to only 33% (7%) of EGOs without either methanol maser type. As populations, EGOs associated with Class I and/or II methanol masers have significantly higher ammonia linewidths, column densities, and kinetic temperatures than EGOs undetected in methanol maser surveys. However, we find no evidence for statistically significant differences in water maser properties (such as maser luminosity) among any EGO subsamples. Combining our data with the 1.1 mm continuum Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey, we find no correlation between isotropic water maser luminosity and clump number density. Water maser luminosity is weakly correlated with clump (gas) temperature and clump mass.