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Register a new userVLA observations of broad 6-cm excited state OH lines in W49A
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Using the Very Large Array (VLA), we observed all three of the 6-cm lines of the doublet Pi 1/2, J=1/2 state of OH with sub-arcsecond resolution (about 0.4 arcsec) in W49A. While the spatial distribution and the range in velocities of the 6-cm lines are similar to those of the ground state (18-cm) OH lines, a large fraction of the total emission in all three 6-cm lines has large linewidths (about 5 -- 10 km/s) and is spatially-extended, very unlike typical ground state OH masers which typically are point-like at VLA resolutions and have linewidths less than 1 km/s. We find brightness temperatures of 5900 K, 4700 K, and greater than 730 K for the 4660-MHz, 4750-MHz, and 4765-MHz lines, respectively. We conclude that these are indeed maser lines. However, the gains are about 0.3, again very unlike the 18-cm lines which have gains greater than 10000. We compare the excited state OH emission with that from other molecules observed with comparable angular resolution to estimate physical conditions in the regions emitting the peculiar, low-gain maser lines. We also comment on the relationship with the 18-cm masers
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The VLA was used to determine precise positions for 4765-MHz OH maser emission sources toward star-forming regions which had been observed about seven months earlier with the Effelsberg 100-meter telescope. The observations were successful for K3-50, DR21EX, W75N, and W49A. No line was detected toward S255: this line had decreased to less than 5 per cent of the flux density observed only seven months earlier. The time-variability of the observed features during the past 30 years is summarised. In addition, to compare with the Effelsberg observations, the 4750-MHz and 4660-MHz lines were observed in W49A. These lines were found to originate primarily from an extended region which is distinguished as an exceptional collection of compact continuum components as well as by being the dynamical centre of the very powerful H_2 O outflow.
We have obtained a deep radio image with the Very Large Array at 6 cm in the Lockman Hole. The noise level in the central part of the field is about 11 microJy. From these data we have extracted a catalogue of 63 radio sources. The analysis of the radio spectral index suggests a flattening of the average radio spectra and an increase of the population of flat spectrum radio sources in the faintest flux bin. Cross correlation with the ROSAT/XMM X-ray sources list yields 13 reliable radio/X-ray associations, corresponding to about 21 per cent of the radio sample. Most of these associations (8 out of 13) are classified as Type II AGN. Using optical CCD (V and I) and K band data we found an optical identification for 58 of the 63 radio sources. This corresponds to an identification rate of about 92 per cent, one of the highest percentages so far available. From the analysis of the colour-colour diagram and of the radio flux - optical magnitude diagram we have been able to select a subsample of radio sources whose optical counterparts are likely to be high redshift (z>0.5) early-type galaxies, hosting an Active Galactic Nucleus responsible of the radio activity. We also find evidence that at these faint radio limits a large fraction (about 60 per cent) of the faintest optical counterparts (i.e. sources in the magnitude range 22.5<I<24.5 mag) of the radio sources are Extremely Red Objects (EROs) with I-K>4.
We present excitation temperatures $T_{ex}$ for the OH 18-cm main lines at 1665 and 1667 MHz measured directly in front of the W5 star-forming region, using observations from the Green Bank Telescope and the Very Large Array. We find unequivocally that $T_{ex}$ at 1665 MHz is greater than $T_{ex}$ at 1667 MHz. Our method exploits variations in the continuum emission from W5, and the fact that the continuum brightness temperatures $T_C$ in this nebula are close to the excitation temperatures of the OH lines in the foreground gas. The result is that an OH line can appear in emission in one location and in absorption in a neighboring location, and the value of $T_C$ where the profiles switch from emission to absorption indicates $T_{ex}$. Absolute measurements of $T_{ex}$ for the main lines were subject to greater uncertainty because of unknown effects of geometry of the OH features. We also employed the traditional expected profile method for comparison with our continuum background method, and found that the continuum background method provided more precise results, and was the one to definitively show the $T_{ex}$ difference. Our best estimate values are: $T^{65}_{ex} = 6.0 pm 0.5$ K, $T^{67}_{ex} = 5.1 pm 0.2$ K, and $T^{65}_{ex} - T^{67}_{ex} = 0.9 pm 0.5$ K. The $T_{ex}$ values we have measured for the ISM in front of W5 are similar to those found in the quiescent ISM, indicating that proximity to massive star-forming regions does not generally result in widespread anomalous excitation of OH emission.
We present the serendipitous detection of the two main OH maser lines at 1667 and 1665 MHz associated with IRAS 10597+5926 at z = 0.19612 in the untargeted Apertif Wide-area Extragalactic Survey (AWES), and the subsequent measurement of the OH 1612 MHz satellite line in the same source. With a total OH luminosity of log(L/L_Sun) = 3.90 +/- 0.03, IRAS 10597+5926 is the fourth brightest OH megamaser (OHM) known. We measure a lower limit for the 1667/1612 ratio of R_1612 > 45.9 which is the highest limiting ratio measured for the 1612 MHz OH satellite line to date. OH satellite line measurements provide a potentially valuable constraint by which to compare detailed models of OH maser pumping mechanisms. Optical imaging shows the galaxy is likely a late-stage merger. Based on published infrared and far ultraviolet fluxes, we find that the galaxy is an ultra luminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG) with log(L_TIR/L_Sun) = 12.24, undergoing a star burst with an estimated star formation rate of 179 +/- 40 M_Sun/yr. These host galaxy properties are consistent with the physical conditions responsible for very bright OHM emission. Finally, we provide an update on the predicted number of OH masers that may be found in AWES, and estimate the total number of OH masers that will be detected in each of the individual main and satellite OH 18 cm lines.
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