Methanol radio emission at millimeter wavelengths: New masers at 1.3 and 2.8 millimeters

The results of a search for maser emission in the methanol lines 8_?1-7₀ E at 229.8 GHz, 3_?2-4_?1 E at 230.0 GHz, 0₀-1_?1 E at 108.9 GHz, and in the J ₁-J ₀ E series near 165 GHz in star-forming regions are reported. At least two masers and two candidates have been detected at 229.8 GHz. Thus, methanol masers have been detected in the 1-mm band for the first time. At 108.9 GHz, masers have been detected toward G345.01+1.79 and possibly toward M8E as well. Thermal emission was found toward 28 objects. The 229.8-GHz sources are class I masers, whereas the 108.9-GHz sources are class II masers. An analysis using a large velocity-gradient method shows that the 229.8-GHz masers can appear at densities of about 3×10⁴ cm^?3. The ratios of the flux densities in different class I lines toward DR 21(OH) and DR 21 West can be approximated in models with gas kinetic temperatures of about 50 K. Detection of the 108.9 GHz masers toward G345.01+1.79 and M8E may provide information about the geometry of these objects.     

Analytical methods for measuring the parameters of interstellar gas using methanol observations

The excitation of methanol in the absence of external radiation is analyzed, and LTE methods for probing interstellar gas considered. It is shown that rotation diagrams correctly estimate the gas kinetic temperature only if they are constructed using lines whose upper levels are located in the same K-ladders, such as the J₀?J_?1E lines at 157 GHz, the J₁?J₀E lines at 165 GHz, and the J₂?J₁E lines at 25 GHz. The gas density must be no less than 10⁷ cm^?3. Rotation diagrams constructed from lines with different K values for their upper levels (e.g., 2_K?1_K at 96 GHz, 3_K?2_K at 145 GHz, 5_K?4_K at 241 GHz) significantly underestimate the temperature, but enable estimation of the density. In addition, diagrams based on the 2_K?1_K lines can be used to estimate the methanol column density within a factor of about two to five. It is suggested that rotation diagrams should be used in the following manner. First, two rotation diagrams should be constructed, one from the lines at 96, 145, or 241 GHz, and another from the lines at 157, 165, or 25 GHz. The former diagram is used to estimate the gas density. If the density is about 10⁷ cm^?3 or higher, the latter diagram reproduces the temperature fairly well. If the density is around 10⁶ cm^?3, the temperature obtained from the latter diagram should be multiplied by a factor of 1.5–2. If the density is about 10⁵ cm^?3 or lower, then the latter diagram yields a temperature that is lower than the kinetic temperature by a factor of three or more, and should be used only as a lower limit for the kinetic temperature. The errors in the methanol column density determined from the integrated intensity of a single line can be more than an order of magnitude, even when the gas temperature is well known. However, if the J₀?(J ? 1)₀E lines, as well as the J₁?(J ? 1)₁A⁺ or A^? lines are used, the relative error in the column density is no more than a factor of a few.     

A study of class II methanol maser condensations in the star-forming region W48

The methanol-line spectra in two maser condensations at velocities ～41 and ～45 km/s in the star-forming region W48 have been studied. The intensity of the 2₀-3_?1 E (12.2 GHz) line is anticorrelated with that of the 5₁-6₀ A ⁺ (6.7 GHz) line: the intensity of the 5₁-6₀ A ⁺ (6.7 GHz) line is greater at ～41 km/s than at ～45 km/s, while the opposite is true of the 2₀-3_?1 E (12 GHz) line. The remaining class II methanol lines in this source demonstrate the same behavior as the 2₀-3_?1 E (12 GHz) line. This contradicts current concepts about the maser line intensities in various methanol transitions: according to model calculations, the intensities of all class II lines should vary in phase. This effect is confirmed for a large homogeneous sample of 67 sources. Possible explanations of the observed effect are proposed; one suggests the possible role of “transpumping” of the methanol-level populations in the maser condensations. The relationships between the variations of the 2₀-3_?1 E (12 GHz) and 5₁-6₀ A ⁺ (6.7 GHz) line intensities, which are present for all 67 sources considered, may indicate that the condensations are at different distances from the pumping source. The presence of condensations at various distances from the pumping source in all 67 sources can be understood if they are ice planets revolving in different orbits around massive stars or protostars.     

A statistical analysis of methanol maser groups

An analysis of the flux densities of the 5₁-6₀ A ⁺ (6.7 GHz) and 2₀-3_?1 E (12.2 GHz) class II methanol maser lines in a large and homogeneous sample of maser sources has been carried out. For convenience, the maser lines were divided into three groups: group I contains spectral features for the lines most prominent in the 5₁-6₀ A ⁺ (6.7 GHz) transition, group II contains spectral features for the lines strongest in the 2₀-3_?1 E (12.2 GHz) transition, group III contains spectral features for which the velocities of the emission maxima of the two lines coincide. The same dependence was found for group II and group III: log S _6.7=(0.79±0.05)×log S _12.2+(0.79±0.05). The spectral features in group I do not obey this relation, and deviations from a linear dependence are considerably greater. It is suggested that methanol class II masers be divided into a subclass IIa, which has special conditions favoring 6.7 GHz masers, and a subclass IIb, which is comprised of the 12.2 GHz masers and those 6.7 GHz masers that necessarily accompany them under the same conditions.     

A study of the region of massive star formation L379IRS1 in radio lines of methanol and other molecules

The results of spectral observations of the region of massive star formation L379IRS1 (IRAS18265–1517) are presented. The observations were carried out with the 30-m Pico Veleta radio telescope (Spain) at seven frequencies in the 1-mm, 2-mm, and 3-mm wavelength bands. Lines of 24 molecules were detected, from simple diatomic or triatomic species to complex eight- or nine-atom compounds such as CH₃OCHO or CH₃OCH₃. Rotation diagrams constructed from methanol andmethyl cyanide lines were used to determine the temperature of the quiescent gas in this region, which is about 40–50 K. In addition to this warm gas, there is a hot component that is revealed through high-energy lines of methanol and methyl cyanide, molecular lines arising in hot regions, and the presence of H₂O masers and Class II methanol masers at 6.7 GHz, which are also related to hot gas. One of the hot regions is probably a compact hot core, which is located near the southern submillimeter peak and is related to a group of methanol masers at 6.7 GHz. High-excitation lines at other positions may be associated with other hot cores or hot post-shock gas in the lobes of bipolar outflows. The rotation diagrams can be use to determine the column densities and abundances of methanol (10^?9) and methyl cyanide (about 10^?11) in the quiescent gas. The column densities of A- and E-methanol in L379IRS1 are essentually the same. The column densities of other observedmolecules were calculated assuming that the ratios of the molecular level abundances correspond to a temperature of 40 K. The molecular composition of the quiescent gas is close to that in another region of massive star formation, DR21(OH). The only appreciable difference is that the column density of SO₂ in L379IRS1 is at least a factor of 20 lower than the value in DR21(OH). The SO₂/CS and SO₂/OCS abundance ratios, which can be used as chemical clocks, are lower in L379IRS1 than in DR21(OH), suggesting that L379IRS1 is probably younger than DR21(OH).     

The detection of new methanol masers in the 5−1–40 E line

Forty-eight objects were detected in the 5_?1–4₀ E methanol line at 84.5 GHz during a survey of Class I maser sources. Narrow maser features were found in 14 of these. Broad quasi-thermal lines were detected toward other sources. One of the objects with narrow features at 84.5 GHz, the young bipolar outflow L1157, was also observed in the 8₀–7₁ A ⁺ line at 95.2 GHz; a narrow line was detected at this frequency. Analysis showed that the broad lines are usually inverted. The quasi-thermal profiles imply that there are no more than a few line opacities. These results confirm the plausibility of models in which compact Class I masers appear in extended sources as a result of a preferential velocity field.     

Shock tracers in the molecular cloud G1.6-0.025

Observations of the molecular cloud G1.6-0.025 in the 2_K-1_K and J₀-J_?1E series and 5_?1-4₀E line of CH₃OH, the (2-1) and (3-2) lines of SiO, and the 7_?7-6_?6 line of HNCO are described. Maps of the previously observed extended cloud with V_lsr～50 km/s and high-velocity clump with V_lsr～160 km/s, as well as a newly detected clump with V_lsr～0 km/s, have been obtained. The extended cloud and high-velocity clump have a nonuniform structure. The linewidths associated with all the objects are between 20 and 35 km/s, as is typical of clouds of the Galactic center. In some directions, emission at velocities from 40 to 160 km/s and from ?10 to +75 km/s is observed at the clump boundaries, testifying to a connection between the extended cloud and the high-velocity clump and clump at V_lsr～0 km/s. Compact maser sources are probaby contributing appreciably to the emission of the extended cloud in the 5_?1-4₀E CH₃OH line. Non-LTE modeling of the methanol emission shows that the extended cloud and high-velocity clump have a relatively low hydrogen density (<10⁴ cm^?3). The specific column density of methanol in the extended cloud exceeds 6×10⁸ cm^?3s, and is 4×10⁸?6×10⁹ cm^?3s in the high-velocity clump. The kinetic temperatures of the extended cloud and high-velocity clump are estimated to be <80 K and 150–200 K, respectively. Possible mechanisms that can explain the link between the extended cloud with V_lsr～50 km/s and the clumps with V_lsr～0 km/s and ～160 km/s are briefly discussed.     

Study of the star-forming region L379 IRS3 in CH<Subscript>3</Subscript>OH and CS

A molecular cloud and high-velocity outflow associated with the star-forming region L379 IRS3 have been mapped in the 6_?1-5₀E methanol and CS (3-2) lines using the 12-meter Kitt Peak telescope. The estimated CS column density and abundance in the molecular cloud are 8×10¹⁴ cm^?2 and 4×10^?9, respectively. LVG modeling of the methanol emission constrains the gas density in the cloud to (1–4)×10⁵ cm^?3 and the gas kinetic temperature to 20–45 K. The upper limit on the density of the high-velocity gas is 10⁵ cm^?3.     

Determination of molecular gas properties using methyl cyanide lines

A survey has been made of 27 Galactic star-forming regions in the (CH₃CN) 6_K–5_K, 5_K–4_K, and 8_K–7_K lines of methyl cyanide (CH₃CN) at 110, 92, and 147 GHz. Twenty-five sources were detected at 110 GHz, nineteen at 92 GHz, and three at 147 GHz. The strongest CH₃CN emission arises in hot cores in regions of massive star formation. The abundance of CH₃CN in these objects exceeds 10^?9 as a consequence of grain mantle evaporation. Weaker CH₃CN lines were found in a number of sources. These can arise in either warm (30–50 K), dense (>10⁴ cm^?3) clouds or in hot regions with cooler gas.     

Parameters of warm molecular clouds from methyl acetylene observations

The results of a survey of 63 Galactic star-forming regions in the 6_K–5_K and 5 _K –4_K methyl acetylene lines at 102.5 and 85.5 GHz are presented. Fourty-three sources were detected at 102.5 GHz, and twenty-five at 85.5 GHz. Emission was detected toward molecular clouds with kinetic temperatures of 20–60 K (so-called “warm clouds”). The CH₃CCH abundances in these clouds are about several ×10^?9. Five sources (NGC 2264, G30.8-0.1, G34.26+0.15, DR 21(OH), S140) were mapped using the maximum-entropy method. The sizes of the mapped clouds fall in the range 0.1–1.7 pc, and the clouds have virial masses of 90–6200 M_⊙ and densities between 6×10⁴ and 6×10⁵ cm^?3. The CH₃CCH sources coincide spatially with the CO and CS sources. Chemical-evolution simulations show that the typical methyl acetylene abundances in the observed clouds correspond to ages of ≈6×10⁴ years.     

Observations of cyanoacetylene sources

Thirty-four Galactic star-forming regions have been observed in the J=4?3 line of cyanoacetylene (HC₃N) at 36.4 GHz. Emission was detected toward 17 sources. The HC₃N column density was determined in the detected sources, and in eight of them (NGC 2264, L379, W51E1/E2, DR 21 West, DR 21 (OH), DR 21, S140, and Cep A), the relative cyanoacetylene abundance was estimated. The HC₃N abundance in these objects is about 1–70×10^?10.     

Electron paramagnetic resonance,optical absorption,and magnetic circular dichroism studies of the CO 3 − molecular-ion in irradiated natural beryl

Room temperature X-irradiation of some natural beryls produced several new absorption lines in the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum, a known series of optical absorption lines in the 500–700 nm range, and a shift of the absorption edge to lower energies. Several of the new EPR lines and part of the irradiation-induced shift of the absorption edge disappeared after a few days at room temperature, and were not examined in detail. However, three of the paramagnetic centres responsible for the new EPR lines were stable at room temperature and two of these have previously been identified as atomic hydrogen and the methyl radical, CH₃. These species were stable to ～150 and ～450°C respectively. The third stable species, hitherto unreported, showed a single-line EPR spectrum of axial symmetry, with g∥=2.0051 and g⊥=2.0152. This spectrum was found to be intensity-correlated with the series of optical bands in the 500–700 nm range, after thermal bleaching at 175°C. The EPR and optical spectra are therefore assigned to the same species. It is argued that this species is the CO ₃ ^? molecular ion, located in the widest part of the structural channel and aligned with the plane of the molecule perpendicular to the c axis. The EPR spectrum is consistent with a ² A′₂ ground state of a CO ₃ ^? molecule with trigonal symmetry, and this requires that the optical transition has a ² A′₂ → ² E′ character. Most of the features in the optical spectrum can be assigned to coupling of a totally symmetric mode of frequency ～1020 cm^?1 onto a zero-phonon line at 14,490 cm^?1 and a second weaker line at 16,020 cm^?1. However, both of these two fundamental lines are structured, and the two components show strong temperature-dependent derivative-shaped magnetic circular dichroism (MCD). Furthermore, the overall sign of the MCD for the line at 16,020 cm^?1 is opposite to that at 14,490 cm^?1. The separation (～120 cm^?1) of the two components of the 14,490 cm^?1 line is much larger than that expected from spin-orbit interaction, and the origin of this splitting is not yet understood.     

Search for class I methanol maser emission in various types of objects in the interstellar medium

Observations of various types of objects in the northern sky were obtained at 44 GHz in the 7₀-6₁ A ⁺ methanol line on the 20-m Onsala radio telescope (Sweden), in order to search for Class I methanol maser emission in the interstellar medium: regions of formation of high-mass stars, dust rings around HII regions, and protostellar candidates associated with powerful molecular outflows and Galactic HII regions. Seven new Class Imethanolmasers have been discovered toward regions of formation of highmass stars, and the existence of two previously observed masers confirmed. The following conclusions are drawn: (1) neither the association of a bipolar outflow manifest in the wings of CO lines with a highmass protostellar object (HMPO) nor the presence of thermal emission in lines of complex molecules are sufficient conditions for the detection of Class I methanol emission; no association with HMPOs radiating at 44 GHz was found for EGOs (a new class of object tracing bipolar outflows); (2) the existence of H₂O masers and Class II methanol masers in the region of aHMPOenhances the probability of detecting Class I methanol emission toward the HMPO; Class II methanol masers with stronger line fluxes are associated with Class I methanol masers.     

Stability at high pressure, elastic behavior and pressure-induced structural evolution of “Al5BO9”, a mullite-type ceramic material

Elastic behavior and pressure-induced structural evolution of synthetic boron-mullite “Al₅BO₉” (a = 5.678(2) Å, b = 15.015(4) Å and c = 7.700(3) Å, space group Cmc2₁, Z = 4) were investigated up to 7.4 GPa by in situ single-crystal X-ray diffraction with a diamond anvil cell under hydrostatic conditions. No phase transition or anomalous compressional behavior occurred within the investigated P range. Fitting the P–V data with a truncated second-order (in energy) Birch-Murnaghan Equation-of-State (BM-EoS), using the data weighted by the uncertainties in P and V, we obtained: V ₀ = 656.4(3) Å³ and K _T0 = 165(7) GPa (β _V0 = 0.0061(3) GPa^?1). The evolution of the Eulerian finite strain versus normalized stress (f _E–F _E plot) leads to an almost horizontal trend, showing that a truncated second-order BM-EoS is appropriate to describe the elastic behavior of “Al₅BO₉” within the investigated P range. The weighted linear regression through the data points gives: F _E(0) = 159(11) GPa. Axial compressibility coefficients yielded: β _a  = 1.4(2) × 10^?3 GPa^?1, β _b  = 3.4(4) × 10^?3 GPa^?1, and β _c  = 1.7(3) × 10^?3 GPa^?1 (β _a :β _b :β _c  = 1:2.43:1.21). The highest compressibilities observed in this study within (100) can be ascribed to the presence of voids represented by five-membered rings of polyhedra: Al1–Al3–Al4–Al1–Al3, which allow accommodating the effect of pressure by polyhedral tilting. Polyhedral tilting around the voids also explains the higher compressibility along [010] than along [001]. The stiffer crystallographic direction observed here might be controlled by the infinite chains of edge-sharing octahedra running along [100], which act as “pillars”, making the structure less compressible along the a-axis than along the b- and c-axis. Along [100], compression can only be accommodated by deformation of the edge-sharing octahedra (and/or by compression of the Al–O bond lengths), as no polyhedral tilting can occur. In addition, a comparative elastic analysis among the mullite-type materials is carried out.     

Infrared photometry of the unique object FG Sge in 1985–2001

Our analysis of many years of infrared photometry of the unique object FG Sge indicates that the dust envelope formed around the supergiant in August 1992 is spherically symmetrical and contains compact, dense dust clouds. The emission from the spherically symmetrical dust envelope is consistent with the observed radiation from the star at 3.5–5 µm, and the presence of the dust clouds can explain the radiation observed at 1.25–2.2 µm. The mean integrated flux from the dust envelope in 1992–2001 was ～(1.0±0.2)×10^?8 erg s^?1cm^?2. The variations of its optical depth in 1992–2001 were within 0.5–1.0. The maximum density of the dust envelope was recorded in the second half of 1993 and corresponded to mean optical depths as high as unity. Several times in the interval from 1992 to 2001, the dusty material of the envelope partially dissipated and was then replenished. For example, the optical depth of the dust cloud at λ=1.25 µm during the last brigthness minimum in the J band was τ_1.25≈4.3, which is much higher than the optical depth of the dust envelope of FG Sge. During maxima of the J brightness, the mean spectral energy distribution at 0.36–5 µm can be represented as a combination of radiation from a G0 supergiant that is attenuated by a dust envelope with a mean optical depth of 0.65±0.15 and emission from the spherically symmetrical dust envelope itself, with the temperature of the graphite grains being 750±150 K. At minima of the J brightness, only radiation from the dust envelope is observed at 1.65–5 µm, with the radiation from the supergiant barely detectable at 1.25 µm. As a result, the integrated flux during J minima is almost half that during J maxima. The mean mass of the spherically symmetrical dust envelope of FG Sge in 1992–2001 was (3 ± 1) × 10^?7M_⊙. This envelope’s mass varied by nearly a factor of two during 1992–2001, in the range (2 – 4) × 10^?7M_⊙. In Autumn 1992, the mass-loss rate from the supergiant exceeded 2 × 10^?7M_⊙/yr. The average rate at which matter was injected into the envelope during 1993–2001 was 10^?8M_⊙/yr. The mean rate of dissipation of the dust envelope was about 1 × 10^?8M_⊙/yr. During 1992–2001, the supergiant lost about 8.7 × 10^?7M_⊙. The parameters of the dust envelope were relatively constant from 1999 until the middle of 2001.     

Diffusion compensation in natural silicates

The temperature dependence of diffusion is usually found to follow the Arrhenius law: D = D₀e^?E/RT Winchell (1969) showed that there is commonly an inter-dependence between D₀ and E (for diffusion in silicate glasses), such that diffusion of different species show a positive correlation on a log D₀ vs E plot. A similar effect was noted by Hofmann (1980) for cation diffusion in basalt. This implies that diffusion rates of different species tend to converge at a particular temperature; this effect is known as the ‘compensation effect’. I will show that this effect is also present for diffusion in feldspars and olivines. The equations for the compensation lines (with E given in kcal/mol) are: basalt—E = 50 + 7.5 log D₀ feldspar—E = 50.7 + 3.4 log D₀ olivine—E = 78.0 + 7.5 log D₀ The convergence, or crossover, temperatures for diffusion in various materials are: obsidian—3400°C basalt—1370°C olivine—1360°C feldspar—460°C Compensation plots are useful for evaluating and comparing experimental diffusion data (though of limited usefulness in a predictive sense) and for understanding ‘closure temperatures’ for diffusion in petrogenetic processes (since closure temperature, the temperature at which natural diffusion processes are frozen in, is dependent on E, log d₀, and cooling rate). I show that most diffusing species in feldspar have a closure-temperature close to the crossover or convergence temperature, implying that all species in feldspars can be expected to ‘freeze-in’ simultaneously at temperatures in the range 400–600°C (for cooling rates in the range 10¹–10⁵°C/myr). Closure temperatures of various species in olivine, on the other hand, span a much larger range (800°C) for a similar range in cooling rates, implying that different elements in olivine will record different time-temperature stages in petrogenetic processes.     

Spectral scan of the star-forming region DR21(OH). Observations and LTE analysis

Seventy-eight molecules have been detected as a result of a spectral survey of the star-forming region DR21(OH) at 84–115 GHz. The abundances of most molecules are typical of those in the dense cores of molecular clouds. The rotational temperatures derived using the lines of most molecules fall in the range 9–56 K, which is also typical for dense cores. However, emission from high-lying levels of methanol and sulfur dioxide was detected; since the rotational temperatures for methanol and sulfur dioxide are 252 and 186 K, this indicates the presence of hot regions. Another fact indicating the existence of hot regions is the detection of CH₃OCHO, CH₃CH₂OH, and CH₃OCH₃, which have thus far been observed only in hot cores and shock-heated regions. An interesting result is the tentative detection of the J = 2 − 1, v = 1 SiO line, with the upper level energy of 1775 K. This is probably a maser line, similar to but weaker than the well-known SiO masers in the star-forming regions Orion-KL,W51(N), and Sgr B2(N).     

Thermal lines of methanol towards bipolar outflows

Observations of 26 regions of low-mass star formation and 17 regions of massive star formation in the 5₋₁-4₀ E, 7₀-6₁ A ⁺, 8₀-7₁ A ⁺, and 2_K-1_K methanol lines at 44.1, 84.5, 95.2 GHz, and 96.7 GHz yielded detections of methanol emission in 11 low-mass and 12 high-mass regions. The strongest lines in the low-mass regions were found towards bipolar outflows driven by Class 0 protostars with luminosities higher than or of the order of 10 L _⊙. These lines usually consist of cores 1–2 km s⁻¹ in width, which are emitted by quiescent gas, and broader wings, emitted by gas accelerated by high-velocity jets. The temperature of the accelerated gas derived from rotational diagrams and statistical equilibrium calculations is roughly 20–50 K. This means that a significant fraction of the accelerated gas cools to such temperatures. The widths of the lines detected in the massive star-forming regions are 2–3 km s⁻¹ or higher. Weak, broad wings were found towards only two sources: L1287 and AFGL5142. For most sources, the statistical-equilibrium calculations yielded gas temperatures of about 20–30 K and densities of about 10⁴–10⁶ cm⁻³, which are typical for warm clouds. However, different transitions emit in regions with different physical conditions located within the main beam of the telescope. Most of the 96.7 GHz emission arises in warm gas with kinetic temperatures of about 30 K, while most of the 95.2 GHz emission may arise in hot regions around Young Stellar Objects and/or be related to the wings of bipolar outflows. Published in Russian in Astronomicheskiĭ Zhurnal, 2007, Vol. 84, No. 1, pp. 48–59. The article was translated by the author.     

Structure of the class I methanol masers OMC-2 and NGC 2264

Results of interferometric observations of the class I methanol masers OMC-2 and NGC 2264 in the 7₀-6₁ A ⁺ and 8₀-7₁ A ⁺ lines at 44 and 95 GHz, respectively, are presented. The maser spots are distributed along the arcs bent toward infrared sources, which are young stellar objects. The distributions of the maser spots at 44 and 95 GHz are virtually identical, and the fluxes from the brightest spots are similar. The measured sizes of the maser spots at 44 GHz are, on average, about 50 AU. The brightness temperature of the strongest components at 44 GHz is 1.7 × 10⁷ K and 3.9 × 10⁷ K for OMC-2 and NGC 2264, respectively. A simple model for the excitation of Class I methanol masers is proposed; it yields an estimate of the limiting brightness temperature of the emission. The model is based solely on the properties of the methanol molecule without invoking the physical parameters of the medium. Using it, we showed that the emission opening angles for NGC 2264 and OMC-2 do not exceed 3° and 4.5°, respectively. The depth of the masing region is about 1000 AU. The emission directivity is naturally realized in the model of of maser consisting of a thermalized core and a thin inverted envelope, probably, with an enhanced methanol abundance. The maser emission has the greatest intensity in the direction tangential to the envelope. The size of the masing envelope estimated from the measured depth and spot extens is ～2 × 10⁴ AU, or 0.15 pc. This size is close to the sizes of the dense molecular cores surrounding the young stellar objects IRS 4 in OMC-2 and IRS 1 in NGC 2264.     

The detection of class I methanol masers towards regions of low-mass star formation

Six young bipolar outflows in regions of low-intermediate-mass star formation were observed in the 7₀-6₁ A ⁺, 8₀-7₁ A ⁺, and 5₋₁-4₀ E methanol lines at 44, 95, and 84 GHz, respectively. Narrow features were detected towards NGC 1333-IRS4A, HH 25MMS, and L1157-B1. The flux densities of the detected lines are not higher than 11 Jy, which is much lower than the flux densities of strong maser lines in regions of high-mass star formation. Analysis shows that the narrow features are most likely masers. Published in Russian in Astronomicheskiĭ Zhurnal, 2006, Vol. 83, No. 4, pp. 327–336. This text was submitted by the authors in English.