Flares of the H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O Maser Emission in the Young Stellar Object GH<Subscript>2</Subscript>O 092.67+03.07 (IRAS 21078+5211)

The results of monitoring the H₂O maser observed toward the region GH₂O 092.67+03.07 (IRAS 21078+5211) located in the Giant Molecular Cloud Cygnus OB7 are presented. The observations were carried out with the 22-m radio telescope of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory in 2006–2017. Strong flares of the H₂O maser emission with flux densities up to 19 800 Jy were detected. The flares exhibited both global (over the source) and local characters. All the flares were accompanied by strong variations in the H₂O spectra within the corresponding radial-velocity ranges. Individual H₂O components form both compact clusters and chains 1–2-AU long. Analysis of the variations of the fluxes, radial velocities, and line shapes of features during the flares showed that the medium may be strongly fragmented, with small-scale turbulent motions taking place in the H₂Omaser region.     

Variations in the spectrum and spatial structure of the H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O maser in W75N

A probable model for the circumstellar envelope associated with the source VLA 2 in W75N has been constructed, based on H₂O-maser monitoring toward W75N carried out on the 22-m radio telescope in Pushchino, as well as VLA maps for 1992, 1996, 1998, and 1999. The envelope has a complex hierarchical structure, including individual maser spots, clusters and chains of spots, inhomogeneous filaments, individual arc-shaped layers, and other complicated features. Most widespread are multi-link chains or filaments with sizes of 1–2 AU. This pattern arises due to the complex hierarchical structure of turbulent motions of material on various scales, from microturbulence to large-scale chaotic motions. No expansion of individual layers in the envelope of VLA 2 has been found. The appearance of the layers is due to the passage of MHD waves that excite the maser emission in consecutive shells in the envelope. This process is fairly cyclic, and is related to the flare activity of the star.     

Twenty-year-long monitoring of the H2O maser S269

Results of observations of the H₂O maser in S269 carried out from October 1980 to February 2001 on the 22-m telescope (RT-22) of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory are presented. During the monitoring of S269, variability of the integrated flux of the maser emission with a cyclic character and an average period of 5.7 years was observed. This may be connected with cyclic activity of the central star during its formation. Emission at radial velocities of 4–7 km/s was detected. Thus, the H₂O maser emission in S269 extends from 4 to 22 km/s, and is concentrated in three radial-velocity intervals: 4–7, 11–14, and 14–22 km/s. In some time intervals, the main group of emission features (14–22 km/s) had a triplet structure. The central velocity of the total spectrum is close to the velocity of the CO molecular cloud and HII region, differing from it by an amount that is within the probable dispersion of the turbulent gas velocities in the core of the CO molecular cloud. A radial-velocity drift of the component at V _LSR≈20 km/s with a period of ≈26 years has been detected. This drift is likely due to turbulent (vortical) motions of material.     

On a new cluster of H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O maser spots in the source ON2

We present the results of our observations of the H₂O maser emission toward the complex source ON2 associated with an active star-forming region. The observations were performed in a wide range of radial velocities, from ?75 to 90 km s^?1. We have detected an emission with flux densities of 9.2, 4, and 26 Jy at radial velocities of ?33.5, ?24.4, and ?18.8 km s^?1, respectively, at which no emission has been observed previously. The detected emission is most likely associated with a hitherto unknown cluster of maser spots located between the northern (N) and southern (S) components of the source ON2 (closer to the northern one). This cluster may be associated with one of the three CO molecular outflows in the ON2 region. We have also detected an emission at ?22 and ?14.5 km s^?1 in N and at 12.6 km s^?1 in S, which has extended significantly the velocity ranges of the maser emission in these sources and allowed their models to be improved.     

Evolution of the H2O Maser Emission in the Star-Forming Region S252A

Results of observations of the star-forming region S252A in the 1.35-cm H²O and 18-cm OH lines obtained using the 22-m Pushchino (Russia) and Nancay (France) radio telescopes are presented. A catalog of H²O maser spectra for 1995-2019 is presented. The variability of the integrated flux has two components: a cyclic component with a time interval between cycles ~30-35 yrs and a short-period component with a mean period of about 2.6 yrs. This may reflect non-stationary formation of a protostar. It is shown that the medium where the H²O maser emission and thermal OH emission are generated is strongly fragmented, and contains small-scale turbulent motions comparable to the thermal motions of the matter. The observed drift and jumps in the radial velocity of the H²O emission features could be a consequence of complex, non-uniform structure of the maser condensations.

     

Variability of the OH and H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O maser emission toward AS 501

The results of observations of OH (λ = 18 cm) and H₂O (λ = 1.35 cm) masers toward AS 501 obtained with the Nançay Observatory Radio Telescope (France) and the 22-m radio telescope of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory (Russia), respectively, are presented. Nine cycles of H₂O maser activity ranging from 2.8 to 6.0 years were detected, identifying AS 501 as an irregular variable star. Zeeman splitting was found only in the 1612-MHz satellite line at ?59.2 km/s. The splitting is 0.11 km/s, corresponding to a line-of-sight magnetic field strength of 0.48 mG. The field is directed toward the observer. The detected radial-velocity drift of the H₂O emission features can be explained in a model with elongated filaments with radial-velocity gradients.     

The source of maser emission in W33C (G12.8-0.2)

The results of observations of the H₂O and OH maser sources toward the region of W33C (G12.8-0.2) are reported. The observations were carried out on the 22-m radio telescope of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory in the 1.35-cm water-vapor line and on the Large Radio Telescope at Nan?ay (France), in the main (1665 and 1667 MHz) and satellite (1612 and 1720 MHz) OH lines. Multiple, strongly variable, short-lived H₂O emission features were detected in a broad interval of radial velocities, from ?7 to 55 km/s. OH maser emission in the 1667-MHz line was detected at velocities of 35?C41 km/s. The Stokes parameters of the maser emission in the main OH lines 1665 and 1667 MHz were measured. Zeeman splitting was detected in the 1665-MHz line at 33.4 and 39.4 km/s, and in the 1667 MHz line only at 39.4 km/s. The magnetic-field intensity was estimated. Appreciable variability of the Zeeman splitting components was observed at 39 and 39.8 km/s in both main lines. The extended spectrum and fast variability of the H₂O maser emission, together with the variability of the Zeeman-splitting components in the main OH lines, may indicate a composite clumpy structure of the molecular cloud and the presence of large-scale rotation, bipolar outflows, and turbulent motions of material in this cloud.     

Cyclic activity of the H2O maser emission towards NGC 2071

A catalog of maser spectra in the 1.35-cm water-vapor line towards the maser source NGC 2071 in a region of massive star formation is presented for 1994–2010. The observations were carried out using the 22-m antenna of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory with a spectral resolution of 0.101 km/s (0.0822 km/s after the end of 2005). Based on the data throughout the monitoring since 1980, two very different cycles of maser activity were found. The first (1980–1992) is characterized by high activity within a broad range of radial velocities. Emission at velocities near 7 km/s predominated in 1980–1986, and emission near 14–16 km/s, in 1987–1992. In 1997–2008, the maser intensity was appreciably lower than in the first activity cycle. Numerous flares of individual emission features were observed. Identifications based on VLA data show that strong flares took place in both maser sources, IRS1 and IRS3. Both sources demonstrated a low level of maser activity during essentially the same epochs (1977, 1995–1997, and the close of 2009 through the beginning of 2010), although the sources are separated by at least 2000 AU.     

Variability of the H2O maser emission in S255

The paper reports the results of observations of the H₂O maser in S255 carried out in 1982–1985 and 1990–2000 on the 22-meter telescope of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory. The H₂O maser emission extends from ?2 to 14 km/s and is mainly concentrated in three radial-velocity intervals. The velocity of the central group of emission features coincides with that of the molecular cloud, while the two lateral groups (blueshifted and redshifted) are positioned in the spectrum more or less symmetrically relative to the central feature. During the monitoring of S255, two phenomena were observed. First, the integrated flux of the H₂O maser emission varied in a cyclic manner with a period of two to four years; this may be connected with activity of the protostar. Second, the fluxes of emission features (or groups of features) were anticorrelated. The emission of the three groups of features noted above dominated in succession. In some time intervals, a triplet spectral structure with anticorrelation between the fluxes of the lateral components and of the central and lateral components was observed. The flux anticorrelation between groups of features and individual features could be due to competition between spatial emission pumping modes in a nonuniform Keplerian disk.     

H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O maser emission in the direction of Sagittarius B2: Results of monitoring for 1982–1992

The results of monitoring the water-vapor maser at λ=1.35 cm in Sgr B2 are presented. The observations were carried out on the 22-m radio telescope of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory (Russia) in 1982–1992. A strong flare of the maser radiation associated with Sgr B2(N) was detected in this period. The absolute strength of this flare is comparable to the megamaser emission observed in Orion in 1979–1987. The flare is probably due to a strengthening of the flow of material from the rotating accretion disk, in which are embedded the three ultracompact HII regions K1, K2, and K3. A subsequent excitation of emission features at increasingly higher radial velocities was observed, associated with a gradient of V_LSR along the direction of the outflow. The large width of the lines (>0.86 km/s) could reflect a complex structure for the maser spots, such as a chain or filamentary structure, as has been observed in Orion and S140.