Observations of Extended Green Objects in the 1.35-cm H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O Line on the 22-m Pushchino Radio Telescope

Observations of H₂O maser sources at 1.35 cm associated with extended regions of 4.5-µm emission (indicated as “green” on Spitzer survey maps—so-called Extended Green Objects, EGOs) are reported. EGOs are considered as characteristic signposts of regions of formation of massive stars, which host high-velocity outflows, as well as methanol, water, and hydroxyl masers. The observations were carried out in January–May 2015 on the 22-meter radio telescope of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory. The sample studied includes 24 EGOs north of declination -29° taken from the Spitzer GLIMPSE survey, together with one of the brightest Class I methanol masers G6.05-1.45 (M8E) and the Class I methanol maser in an IRDC G359.94+0.17. H₂O maser emission was detected toward 11 of the EGOs: G11.94-0.62, G14.33-0.64, G16.59-0.06, G23.01-0.41, G24.943+0.074, G28.83-0.25, G34.3+0.2, G34.403+0.233, G35.20-0.74, G45.47+0.07, and G49.267-0.337. These including the well known H₂O maser in the W44 region, G34.3+0.2. H₂O emission from G28.83-0.25 was detected for the first time, at 77.6 km/s, with a flux density of 19 Jy in January and 16 Jy in February 2015. The source was probably caught at an early stage of the propagation of a shock wave. The Class I methanol masers G359.94+0.17 and G6.05-1.45 (M8E) and 13 of the EGOs were not detected in the H₂O line, with 3s upper limits of ~6-7 Jy. Spectra and maser-emission parameters are given for the detected H₂Omasers, for some of which strong variability of the H₂O maser emission was observed. The detected H₂Omasers, together with the Class I methanol masers and extended 4.5-µm emission, are associated with a very early stage in the development of young stellar objects in the regions of the EGOs. However, this sample of EGOs is not uniform. The presence of 44-GHz Class I methanol masers together with EGOs cannot be considered the only sign of early stages of star formation.     

An H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O maser in the infrared source IRAS 20126+4104

Results of monitoring of H₂O maser in the infrared source IRAS 20126+4104, which is associated with a cool molecular cloud, are presented. The observations were carried out on the 22-meter radio telescope of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory (Russia) between June 1991 and January 2006. The spectrum of the H₂O maser emission extends from ? 16.7 to 4.8 km/s and splits into separate groups of emission features. Cyclic variations of the integrated maser flux with a period from 3.4 to 5.5 years were detected, together with strong flares of up to 220 Jy in individual emission features. It is shown that large linewidths in periods of high maser activity are due to small-scale turbulent motions of the material. An expanding envelope around a young star is accepted as a model for the source. The protostar has a small peculiar velocity with respect to the molecular cloud (～2 km/s). Individual emission features form organized structures, including multi-link chains.     

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.     

Superflares of H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O Maser Emission Toward the Protostellar Object G25.65+1.05 (IRAS 18316−0602)

The results of a study of the maser source IRAS 18316?0602 in the H₂O line at λ = 1.35 cm are reported. The observations were carried out on the 22-m radio telescope of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory (Russia) from June 2002 until March 2017. Three superflares were detected, in 2002, 2010, and 2016, with peak flux densities of >3400, 19 000, and 46 000 Jy, respectively. An analysis of these superflares is presented. The flares took place during periods of high maser activity in a narrow interval of radial velocities (40.5–42.5 km/s), and could be associated with the passage of a strong shock. The emission of three groups of features at radial velocities of about 41, 42, and 43 km/s dominated during themonitoring. The flare in 2016 was accompanied by a considerable increase in the flux densities of several features with velocities of 35–56 km/s.     

A strong flare of the H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O maser in Sagittarius B2(M)

Results of a study of a strong flare of H₂O maser emission in the star-forming region Sgr B2(M) in 2004 are reported. The observations were carried out on the 22-m radio telescope of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory. The main emission, with its flux density reaching 3800 Jy, was concentrated in a narrow radial-velocity interval (about 3 km/s) and was most likely associated with the compact group r, while the emission at V_LSR > 64 km/s came from group q. After 1994, the variations of the H₂O maser emission in Sgr B2(M) became cyclic with a mean period of 3 years.     

A Giant Water Maser Flare in the Galactic Source IRAS 18316-0602

Astronomy Reports - The results of long-term monitoring of the Galactic maser source IRAS 18316–0602 (G25.65+1.05) in the water-vapor line at frequency f = 22.235 GHz (616–523...     

Maser emission toward the very young massive star GH2O 092.67+03.07 (IRAS 21078+5211)

Results of monitoring of the H₂O maser observed toward the infrared source IRAS 21078+5211 in the giant molecular cloud Cygnus OB7 are presented. The observations were carried out on the 22-m radio telescope of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory (Russia) from April 1992 to March 2006. Five cycles of maser activity at various levels were observed. In the periods of highest activity, the spectrum of the H₂O maser emission extended from ?43 to 12 km/s. During strong flares, the flux densities in some emission features reached nearly 600 Jy. The protostar has a small peculiar velocity with respect to the CO molecular cloud (～2 km/s). Based on the character of the radial-velocity variations and the tendency for the linewidth to increase with the flux, it is concluded that the medium is strongly fragmented and that there is a small-scale turbulent outflow of ga in the H₂O maser region, which may impede the formation of an HII region. The asymmetric distribution of the maser components in V _LSR, the difference in the average linewidths of the central and lateral clusters of components, and the fairly high radial velocities relative to the molecular cloud (especially during periods of the highest maser activity) suggest that the maser spots belong to different clusters and different structures of the source: a disk and bipolar outflow.     

The fast variable maser source IRAS 05338-0624

A new OH maser was detected in January 2008 toward the infrared source IRAS 05338-0624 in the dark cloud L1641N. The observations were carried out on the Nan cay Radio Telescope (France) in the 1667 and 1665 MHz OH lines. In the spectra of both lines, thermal OH emission from the surrounding molecular cloud is present at radial velocities V _LSR = 6–9 km/s. In addition, a narrow maser feature is present in both lines at V _LSR = 2 km/s in the profiles obtained on January 7, 2008; the peak flux densities at 1667 and 1665 MHz are 1.5 and 0.4 Jy, respectively. No OH maser emission was detected in February–July 2008. Then, a maser feature was again observed in the 1665 MHz line on August 20, 2008, at the same velocity as in January, V _LSR = 2 km/s, with a peak flux density of 0.4 Jy. No 1667 MHz counterpart was observed with an upper limit of ～0.1 Jy. Emission in both OH lines was again absent on September 18. The source was also observed in the H₂O line at λ = 1.35 cm on the 22-m radio telescope of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory (Russia) on February 7 and 13, 2008. In both cases, a maser feature was detected at V _LSR = 9 km/s, with peak flux densities of 35 and 15 Jy, respectively. After the its apparent absence in April, H₂O maser emission reappeared on May 14, 2008, at V _LSR = 7 km/s with a flux density of about 15 Jy. The history of previous observations of the object in the OH and H₂O lines is traced. The maser displays strong and rapid flux variability in the lines of both molecules, as is typical of young low-luminosity stellar objects at early stages of their evolution.     

Monitoring of the H2O maser W31(2) in 1981–2003

A catalog of water-vapor maser spectra at 1.35 cm for the sourceW31(2), which is associated with an active star-forming region, is presented. The observations were carried out in 1981–2003 on the 22-m antenna of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory with a spectral resolution of 0.101 km/s. The mean interval between observations was about 1.5 months. The total velocity range in which emission was observed during the monitoring is from ?14 to +14 km/s. The spectrum is strongly variable and contains a large number of emission features. Two strong flares with an interval between their emission maxima (integrated flux) of about 12 years (1985–1986 and 1998–1999) were observed, as well as fast variations on a timescale of 0.5–2 years with amplitudes of up to 600 Jy km/s. No long-period component of the variations was found. A drift of the velocity centroid has been detected; it is well approximated by a third-power polynomial corresponding to a period of about 31–33 years. The two strong flares fall on different phases of this curve: the first (1985–1986) is located near the minimum, while the second (1998–1999) is at the maximum. The observed character of the variability of the emission is well explained by the existing model for the region of G10.6-0.4. The drift of the velocity centroid is probably associated with the nonstationary accretion of material onto an HII region formed by a cluster of OB stars.     

H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O masers and protoplanetary disk dynamics in IC 1396 N

We report H₂O maser line observations of the bright-rimmed globule IC 1396 N using a ground-space interferometer with the 10-m RadioAstron radio telescope as the space-based element. The source was not detected on projected baselines >2.3. Earth diameters, which indicates a lower limit on the maser size of L > 0.03 AU and an upper limit on the brightness temperature of 6.25 × 10¹² K. Fringe-rate maps are prepared based on data from ground-ground baselines. Positions, velocities and flux densities of maser spots were determined. Multiple low-velocity features from ?4.5 km/s to +0.7 km/s are seen, and two high-velocity features of V _LSR = ?9.4 km/s and V _LSR = +4.4 km/s are found at projected distances of 157 AU and 70 AU, respectively, from the strongest low-velocity feature at V _LSR = ~+0.3 km/s. Maser components from the central part of the spectrum fall into four velocity groups but into three spatial groups. Three spatial groups of low-velocity features detected in the 2014 observations are arranged in a linear structure about ~200 AU in length. Two of these groups were not detected in 1996 and possibly are jets which formed between 1996 and 2014. The putative jet seems to have changed direction in 18 years, which we explain by the precession of the jet under the influence of the gravity of material surrounding the globule. The jet collimation can be provided by a circumstellar protoplanetary disk. There is a straight line orientation in the “V _LSR-Right Ascension” diagram between the jet and the maser group at V _LSR = ~+0.3 km/s. However, the central group with the same position but at the velocity V _LSR ~ ?3.4 km/s falls on a straight line between two high-velocity components detected in 2014. Comparison of the low-velocity positions from 2014 and 1996, based on the same V _LSR-Right Ascension diagram for low-velocity features, shows that the majority of the masers maintain their positions near the central velocity V _LSR = ~0.3 km/s during the 18 year period.     

Long-term monitoring of the water-vapor maser in NGC 7538: 1981–1992

We report the results of monitoring the H₂O maser in NGC 7538, which is associated with a star-forming region. The observations were carried out on the 22-meter telescope of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory. Two intervals of long-term variability of the integrated flux that reflect the cyclic activity of the maser have been distinguished (1981–1992 and 1993–2003); the data for the earlier activity cycle, 1981–1992, have been analyzed. The period of the long-time-scale variations is about 13–14 years. Flares of individual spectral features and of two groups of features with mean radial velocities of ?60 and ?46.6 km/s have been observed. The flares lasted from 0.3 to 1 year. The emission features observed during the 1984–1985 flare at radial velocities between ?62 and ?58 km/s probably form a spatially compact group of spots (<10¹⁵ cm) in NGC 7538 IRS 1. The triplet structure of the spectra can be traced. The observed anticorrelations and correlations of the fluxes of the triplet components suggest that the maser spots may be located either in a protoplanetary disk or in a high-velocity gaseous outflow.     

Flares of H2O maser emission from SGR B2 in 2005–2012

We present observations of H₂O maser emission from the complex region of active star formation Sgr B2 performed in 2005–2012. The observations were carried out with the 22-m radio telescope of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory. Seven flares with flux densities higher than 1000 Jy were detected. The flares occurred in all three main sites of star formation in Sgr B2, N,M, and S. The highest peak flux densities were 3200 Jy (60.9 km/s), 2350 Jy (69.4 km/s), and 7300 Jy (69.3 km/s) in N, M, and S, respectively. This last flare was the strongest during our monitoring campaign from 1982 to 2012, both in S and in the entire Sgr B2 complex. Possible associations of the flares were determined. High-velocity, short-lived emission was detected at 124–128 km/s. Emission at 127 km/s with a flux density of 23 Jy is associated with region M. Emission at 80.6 and 84.6 km/s, at radial velocities higher than those observed previously, was detected in region S.     

Chain-type structure in the H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O maser NGC 7538N

An analysis of the H₂O maser emission toward the source NGC 7538N, which is associated with an active star-forming region, is reported. The analysis is based on 24 years of monitoring in the 1.35-cm line using the the 22-m radio telescope of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory in 1981–2005 with a spectral resolution of 0.101 km/s. Individual spectral components have been isolated, and temporal drifts in their radial velocities found. From time to time, the drifts were accompanied by velocity jumps. This can be explained if there are chains consisting of clumps of material that are elongated in the radial direction toward the star and have a radial-velocity gradient. In 1982–2005, two maser activity cycles were observed, during which the chains were activated. We propose that shocks consecutively cross the chain elements and excite maser emission in them. The longest chain, at a radial velocity of ?58 km/s, has not fewer than 15 links. For a shock velocity of 15 km/s, the chain step is estimated to be ≤1.5 AU. The chains could be located in a circumstellar disk with a width of ≤10¹⁵ cm. A structure in the form of a rotating nonuniform vortex with the rotation period of about 1.6 years has also been detected. The translational motion of the vortex may be a consequence of its orbital motion within the protoplanetary disk.     

Evolution of the H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O and OH Maser Emission in W75 N

The results of a study of H₂O and OH maser emission in the complex region of active star formation W75 N are presented. Observations were obtained using the 22-m radio telescope of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory (Russia) and the Nan3ay radio telescope (France). Flaring H₂O maser features may be identified with maser spots associated with the sources VLA 1 and VLA 2. Themain H₂O flares occurred in VLA 1. The flare emission was associated with either maser clusters having closely spaced radial velocities and sizes up to ~2 AU or individual features. The maser emission is generated in a medium where turbulence on various scales is present. Analysis of the line shapes during flare maxima does not indicate the presence of the simplest structures—homogeneous maser condensations. Strong variability of the OH maser emission was observed. Zeeman splitting of the 1665-MHz line was detected for several features of the same cluster at a radial velocity of +5.5 km/s. The mean line-of-sight magnetic field in this cluster is ~0.5 mG, directed away from the observer. Flares of the OH masers may be due to gas compression at a shock or MHD wave front.     

An Unusually Powerful Water-Maser Flare in the Galactic Source W49N

The most powerful flare ever registered in the Galactic water-maser source W49N has been detected in long-term monitoring data in the 6₁₆–5₂₃ transition with line frequency f = 22.235 GHz carried out on the 22-m Simeiz, 32-m Toruń, 100-m Effelsberg, and 32-m Medicina radio telescopes, beginning in September 2017 and continuing in 2018. Some stages of the flare were monitored daily. Detailed variations of the source spectral flux density with time have been obtained. At the flare maximum, the flux exceeded P ≈ 8 × 10⁴ Jy, and this was record highest flux registered over the entire history of observations of this source. Important conclusions related to details of the mechanism for the H₂O line emission have been drawn. An exponential increase in the flare flux density was detected during both the rise and decline of the flare. The data obtained indicate that the maser is unsaturated, and remained in this state up to the maximum observed flux densities. Additional support for the idea that the maser is unsaturated is the shape of the dependence of the line width on the flux. The characteristics of the variations of the spectral flux density are probably associated with a sharp increase in the density of the medium and the photon flux that led to an increase in the temperature from an initial level of 10–40 K to hundreds of Kelvins. Interferometric maps of the object during the increase in the spectral flux density of the flare have been obtained. A possible mechanism for the primary energy release in W49N is considered.

     

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.     

Fast brightness variations of blazars in the radio and optical

We present coordinated synchronous observations of Active Galactic Nuclei in the radio and optical, aimed at searching for fast (intraday) flux variations and possible correlations in the flux variations in different wavebands. Our observations were performed with the 22-m radio telescope of the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory at 22.2 and 36.8 GHz and the Zeiss-1000 reflector of the Special Astrophysical Observatory in the R filter, using a CCD photometer. We performed five observing runs of 7–10 nights each in 2004–2006. We obtained radio and optical light curves for the variable extragalactic radio sources DA 55, 1633+382, 2134+004, 2145+067, and 2251+158. We detected short-duration flares of DA 55 and 2134+004 in the R band with variations of 0.2 ^m within about 15 minutes. The other sources did not show any considerable flux variations. The radio flux variations of DA 55 and 2134+004 reached 1.5 Jy in about 15 minutes, and those of 2145+067 reached 2 Jy in 2 hours. We observed chaotic flux variations in 2251+158, by 2–2.5 Jy in half an hour. We detected no correlation between the radiation in the optical and radio.     

Long-term monitoring and interpretation of flares in the H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O maser emission of IRAS 16293–2422

The results of a study of the H₂O and OH maser emission from the cool IR source IRAS 16293?2422 are presented. The observations analyzed were obtained in H₂O lines with the 22-m telescope of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory during 1999–2015 and in OH lines with the Nanc¸ ay radio telescope (France). A large number of very strong flares of the H₂O maser were detected, reaching fluxes of tens of thousands of Jansky. Individual features can form organized structures resembling chains ～2 AU in length with a radial-velocity gradient along them. The observed drift of the H₂O emission (2003–2004) in space and velocity (from 4.3 to 5.3 km/s) is not due solely to proper motion of the features. The other origin of the drift is a drift of the emission maximum during a flare as the shock consecutively excites spatially separated features in the structure in the form of a chain. The OH-line observations at 18 cm show that the emission remains unpolarized and thermal, with a line width of 0.7 km/s, which corresponds to a cloud temperature of ～30 K.     

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.     

Observations of late-type variable stars in the water vapor radio line. The long-period variable R cassiopeia

Observations of circumstellar maser emission from the long-period variable R Cas in the 1.35-cm water-vapor line are reported. The observations were carried out on the 22-m radio telescope of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory in 1980–2003 (JD=2444409–2452724). Over the 23 years of observations, strong flares in the H₂O line profile were recorded in 1982 (with a peak flux density up to 400 Jy) and 1986–1989 (up to 750 Jy). Subsequently, from 1990 to March 2003, the H₂O line flux was usually below the detection threshold of the radio telescope (<5–10 Jy). Episodic small increases of the emission with peak flux densities of 20–60 Jy were observed. The variations of the H₂O line flux F are correlated with variations in the visual brightness of the star. The phase delay Δ_γ of the F variations relative to the optical light curve of R Cas ranged from 0.2–0.3P during the observations (P=430.46^d is the star's period). A model for the variability of the H₂O maser in R Cas is discussed. If the variations are due to periodic impacts by shock waves driven by the stellar pulsations, the time for the shock to travel from the photosphere to the inner boundary of the H₂O-masing shell may reach 2–4P. The flares could be due to transient episodes of enhanced mass loss by the star or to the propagation of an exceptionally strong shock from the stellar surface.