Evn Observations of H2O Masers Towards the High-Mass Young Stellar Object in Afgl 5142

We have conducted multi-epoch EVN observations of the 22.2 GHz water masers towards the high-mass young stellar object in AFGL 5142. With four observing epochs, spanning a time of 1 year, 12 distinct maser features have been detected and accurate values of the proper motions are derived for those persistent over three or four epochs. On the basis of their spatial distribution, the observed maser features can be divided into two groups. A model fit to the positions and velocities of the maser features of Group I, detected in the same region (within 500 mas) where the massive YSO should be located, demonstrates that these might arise on the surface of a nearly edge-on Keplerian disk, rotating around a massive young stellar object. The maser features of Group II, found at large distances from the YSO ( 1), have positions and line-of-sight velocities in agreement with the blue-shifted lobe of a large-scale molecular outflow, and might result from the interaction between the gas flowing away from the young stellar object and the ambient gas of the progenitor molecular core.     

Extragalactic H2O Megamaser Sources： Central Black Holes, Nuclear X-ray and Maser Emissions

Extragalactic H2O megamasers are typically found within the innermost few parsecs of active galaxy nuclei (AGN) and the maser emission is considered to be excited most likely by the X-ray irradiation of the AGN.We investigate a comprehensive sample of extragalactic H2O masers in a sample of 38 maser host AGN to check potential correlations of the megamaser emission with parameters of the AGN,such as X-ray luminosity and black hole (BH) masses.We find a relation between the maser luminosities and BH masses,LH2O∝ M3.64-0.4 BH,which supports basically the theoretical prediction.The relation between the maser emission and X-ray emission is also confirmed.     

河外水脉泽的研究进展

人们对河外水脉泽的观测与研究已经30年了。目前已经在约70个河外星系中检测到水脉泽辐射（已公开发表64个）。近年来，河外水脉泽的观测及理论研究十分活跃。重点介绍了目前河外水脉泽的检测及研究进展，包括水脉泽源的分类、水脉泽对研究活动星系核的重要科学价值、水脉泽源的X射线观测研究及其各物理量之间的统计分析结果等。     

XMM-Newton observations of H2O maser galaxy NGC 7479

The XMM-Newton observations of H2O megamaser galaxy NGC 7479 are presented.Its smoothed X-ray image clearly shows spiral morphology,which matches well with its optical asymmetric spiral structure.One prominent source can be found at the tip of its northern spiral arm,which is much brighter than its nuclear X-ray source(about a 50% higher count rate).For the nuclear source(a circular region with a radius of 20"),the spectra show soft excess below 2 keV and a strong iron Kα emission line.The best fitting model includes a partially absorbed model for the hard continuum and one thermal plasma model for the soft scatter component.Both the high column density(NH～6.88 × 1023 cm-2)and strong fluorescent iron line(with an equivalent width of～1.5 keV)support the existence of one heavily obscured AGN.For the bright prominent source,its radial profile is consistent with that of a single point-like source.Its spectra are extracted from the circular region around its peak,with a radius of 20"and 6"respectively and both spectra show no significant difference.Four alternative models for the ultra-luminous X-ray source(ULXs)can reproduce the spectra well: an absorbed power law,thermal bremsstrahlung,multicolor blackbody disk plus another blackbody or power law.Further observations(e.g.,the tremendous improvement in the spatial resolution of the Chandra X-ray observations)and studies are desirable for probing the nature of this prominent source.In addition,we also estimate the mass of its central engine to be 1.18× 107 M⊙ and maser disk parameters: the disk radius of～0.7 pc and the dimensionless accretion rate(L2-10keV/LEdd)of 1.2 × 10-4.     

A Survey and Statistics of Interstellar OH and H_2O Masers

We present a statistical analysis of a sky survey of interstellar H2O and OH masers. These masers can be classified into three categories: isolated H2O masers, isolated OH masers, and simple OH/H2O maser associations. The total number of sources in each category is of the same order of magnitude, and as an evolutionary phase they can maintain -105 yr. An improved radiative pumping mechanism is proposed. This model avoids some of the deficiencies of previous radiative models, such as shortage of exciting photons. The statistical results obtained from the survey can be interpreted by the new mechanism together with the evolutionary model in which the gravitational force of the central stellar objects is responsible for the HII region.     

水脉泽寄主星系的倾角分析

迄今已经在104个河外星系中检测到水脉泽辐射.同其它没有检测到水脉泽的星系相比,水脉泽星系可能隐含着某种或某些特殊性质.收集了到当前为止(截止2008.09)发表的所有水脉泽星系以及相关的观测资料.计算得到了这些源的星系盘的倾角,并分析讨论了这些水脉泽源星系盘和脉泽盘的倾角可能存在的相关.统计发现只有大约10%的盘脉泽源的星系盘侧面对着我们的视线.然而VLBI对6个盘脉泽源高空间分辨率的成图观测显示那些旋转脉泽盘都是近似侧向的,脉泽盘的倾角都大于80°.对大多数水盘脉泽星系而言,他们的星系盘和脉泽盘方向不一致,这可能间接支持盘脉泽仅仅同星系核相关.为了探讨遮蔽物质的由来和水脉泽辐射的放大机制,对整个水脉泽样本的脉泽光度,X射线吸收气体柱密度和寄主星系倾角的可能相关进行了分析.结果显示高密度的遮蔽物质主要来自于星系核区,而水脉泽辐射的放大更可能发生在围绕核的尘埃盘(～100Pc)或更小尺度的核盘上.     

Masers in star-forming regions

Maser action in the interstellar medium produces the brightest and most spectacular molecular lines that radio astronomers can study. Strong maser action was first detected in OH (at 1.6 GHz) and water (at 22 GHz) in star-forming regions, but with improvements in mm and submm-wave technology, and improved laboratory data, many new maser transitions are being identified. For methanol alone over 20 maser transitions have been identified in star-forming regions. This review summarizes recent observational developments. Masers provide the most readily detectable indicators of the formation of massive young stars, and offer our best prospect for making a complete census of starforming regions in the Galaxy. Using radio interferometers the structure of the regions can be probed on angular scales of 1 milliarcsecond. The use of masers as probes of the physical conditions in these regions is discussed.     

Masers, Lasers and the Interstellar Medium

This paper discusses recent results obtained by myself and my colleagues in three domains of astrophysics: interstellar supersonic turbulence, circumstellar disks, and natural masers and lasers. S.A. Kaplan, S.B. Pikelner, and I.S. Shklovskii were among those who, 30-40 years ago, laid the foundation of these domains.H2O masers become an effective probe of supersonic turbulence associated with mass outflow from very young stars. They demonstrate a very low (1) fractal dimension of the spatial set on which turbulence dissipates its kinetic energy, and, thereby, a strong intermittency of the turbulence. They also indicate that supersonic turbulence, like incompressible turbulence, has an inner scale, on which the bulk of turbulent energy dissipates in low-Mach, random shocks. H2O masers themselves find thereby a new pumping source in these random shocks.Masers in hydrogen recombination lines, discovered 8 years ago, originate in a circumstellar disk surrounding a massive star MWC 349A. They give a possibility to investigate kinematics and structure of the disk. Far-infrared nydrogen recombination lines, recently detected in MWC349A from the Kuiper Airborn Observatory, proved to be amplified as well. They are the first known natural amplifiers of electromagnetic waves in the laser wavelength domain. Analysis of their radiation, along with the radiation in other recombination lines, gives a possible key to understanding the lack of optical lasers in the Universe.     

水脉泽寄主活动星系核的吸积率(英文)

水超脉泽辐射( 各向同性光度超过 10 个太阳光度) 通常在星系中心最内部的核区( 小于几个秒差距) 被发现,因而活动星系核被认为是其唯一的能量源。同其它没有检测到水脉泽辐射的活动星系核相比,水脉泽寄主活动星系核可能隐含着某种或某些特殊性质。基于此我们调研了已经公开发表的所有水脉泽源的 X 射线观测情况,得到了一个有 X 射线观测研究结果的子样本( 39 个源) 。由它们的 X 射线光度以及估算的黑洞质量,导出了它们的无量纲吸积率( logL2-10keV /LEdd,其中 L2-10keV和 LEdd分别是 2 - 10keV 的固有光度和爱丁顿光度) ; 与距离范围相当的、没有检测到水脉泽的活动星系核样本相比,发现脉泽寄主活动星系核有较高的吸积率。进一步分析比较这两个活动星系核样本的质量吸积率,也发现类似的趋势。此外,为了探索吸积率和水脉泽辐射间可能的内在联系,我们对它们的脉泽光度和吸积率进行了统计分析,然而结果显示二者之间没有明显的相关性。     

Feedback of Active Galactic Nuclei in Seyfert 2 Galaxies

It is well accepted that feedback from active galactic nuclei (AGNs) plays an important role in the coevolution of the supermassive black hole (SMBH) and its host galaxy,but the concrete mechanism of feedback remains unclear.A considerable body of evidence suggests that AGN feedback suppresses star formation in the host galaxy.We assemble a sample of Seyfert 2 galaxies with recent observational data of compact nuclear starbursts and estimate the gas surface density as a function of column density to illuminate the relation between feedback and AGN properties.Although there are some uncertainties,our data still imply the deviation from the star formation law (Kennicutt-Schmidt law).Further,they indicate that:(1) Feedback correlates with the Eddington ratio,rather than with the mass of SMBH,as a result of decreasing star formation efficiency.(2) The SMBH and the torus are probably undergoing coevolution.Conclusions presented here can be refined through future high resolution CO or HCN observations.     

A Search for High-velocity Gas Associated H_2O Masers and Ultracompact HII Regions

1 INTRODUCTIONA violent molecular outflow is a bajsic component of star formation process. Such outflowsare observed over a wide range of wavelength from the ultraviolet to the radio, resulting fromthe interaction of highly supersonic stellar winds with the alnbiellt material and the windejection takes place in the vicinity of a newly formed star. Outflows are produced by starsof all massess but currellt outflow theories are predominantly based on observations of nearby,low-mass outflow sy…     

Stratospheric H2O

The present state of our knowledge and understanding of H₂O in the stratosphere is reviewed. This reveals continuing discrepancies between observations and expectations following from the Brewer-Dobson hypothesis of stratospheric circulation. In particular, available observations indicate unexplained upward and poleward directed H₂O gradients immediately downstream from the tropical tropopause and variable vertical gradients above 20 km which generally disagree with those expected from oxidation of CH₄.     

Merlin and Puschino Observations of H2o Masers in Outer Galactic SFR S128N

We have imaged H₂O maser emission from the star-forming region S128 at milli-arcsec resolution using MERLIN, to complement 20 years of monitoring data from the Puschino radio telescope. The drift velocities of the masers and the velocity and location of a new maser region add depth to the model of two colliding CO clouds triggering collapse. Some H₂O masers appear to originate directly from this shock front. The brightest maser appears typical of a YSO jet and remains unsaturated close to peak intensity. The distribution of maser clumps has a fractal dimension 0.4; combined with analysis of drift velocity variations this suggests that the masers trace the dissipation of supersonic turbulence. The spatial distribution of velocities shows that this is in parts more structured than the Kolmogorov cascade.     

河外H_2O超脉泽辐射

介绍了近年来河外Ｈ２Ｏ超脉泽的主要观测结果。Ｈ２Ｏ超脉泽通常起源于活动星系核中央的拱核盘。它们主要寄生在 Ｓｅｒｆｅｒｔ ２星系或低电离核区。至今为止，已有２０个星系探测到Ｈ２Ｏ超脉泽。脉泽辐射的各向同性光度为１０～６０００Ｌ⊙。所有超脉泽星系显示出核的活动，显然，脉泽是由核活动所产生的射电和Ｘ射线光子或激波来抽运的。Ｈ２Ｏ超脉泽倾向存在于高倾斜度的星系，这使得沿视线上的分子柱密度增高，产生足够大的放大光深。最有可能产生Ｈ２Ｏ超脉泽辐射的星系应有一个包含着射电源的侧向的分子盘以及一个适当的抽运机制。     

对旋涡星系M33的HII区复合体IC133中H_2O脉泽VLBI斑点图的分析

用多重分离的旋转膨胀环模型，分析了旋涡星系Ｍ３３的ＨＩＩ区复合体ＩＣ１３３中的１４个脉泽源斑的ＶＬＢＩ相对位置图，发现这１４个Ｈ２Ｏ脉泽源斑在ＨＩ区复合体盘上成环状，分布在二个不同的旋转膨胀盘环上．同时，也得到这１４个Ｈ２Ｏ脉泽源斑的运动学特性．     

Evidence for Co-Propagation of 4765- and 1720-MHz OH Masers in Star-Forming Regions

Two star-forming regions Cepheus A and W75N, were searched for the 4765-MHz OH maser emission using the multi-element radio linked interferometer network (MERLIN). The excited OH emission has an arc-like structure of 40 mas in Cep A and a linear structure of size 45 mas in W75N. We also found the 1720-MHz line in Cep A and Hutawarakorn [MNRAS 330 (2002) 349] reported the 1720-MHz emission in W75N. The 1720- and 4765-MHz OH spots coincided in space within 60 mas and in velocity within 0.3 km s^–1 in both targets implying that both maser transitions arise from the same region. According to the modelling by Gray [MNRAS 252 (1991) 30] the 1720/4765-MHz co-propagation requires a low density, warm environment. The masers lie at the edges of H II regions where such conditions are expected.     

H2O maser pumping: The effect of quasi-resonance energy transfer in collisions between H2 and H2O molecules

The effect of quasi-resonance energy transfer in collisions between H₂ and H₂O molecules in H₂O maser sources is investigated. New data on the state-to-state rate coefficients for collisional transitions for H₂O and H₂ molecules are used in the calculations. The results of ortho-H₂O level population inversion calculations for the 22.2-, 380-, 439-, and 621-GHz transitions are presented. The ortho-H₂O level population inversion is shown to depend significantly on the population distribution of the para-H₂ J = 0 and 2 rotational levels. The possibility of quasi-resonance energy transfer in collisions between H₂ molecules at highly excited rotational-vibrational levels and H₂O molecules is considered. The quasi-resonance energy transfer effect can play a significant role in pumping H₂O masers in the central regions of active galactic nuclei and in star-forming regions.     

A Unifying Scheme for Low-Luminosity XRBs and AGN

In recent years, significant evidence for the similar nature of active galactic nuclei (AGN) and X-ray binaries (XRBs) has been gathered. We describe a unification scheme for accreting black holes following the idea that weakly accreting systems may be jet dominated. This is tested with the radio/X-ray correlation of XRBs and AGN. The established correlation is further used to diagnose ultra-luminous X-ray sources. For higher accretion rates, we explore high-power jets and the effect of Compton cooling of the jet by the accretion disk.