Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2brh9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T15:42:56.578Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Methanol masers as tools to study high-mass star formation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2007

Michele R. Pestalozzi*
Affiliation:
Centre for Astrophysics Research, University of Hertfordshire, AL10 9AB Hatfield, UK email: [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

In this contribution I will attempt to show that the study of Galactic 6.7 and 12.2 GHz methanol masers themselves, as opposed to the use of methanol masers as signposts, can yield important conclusions contributing to the understanding of high-mass star formation. Due to their exclusive association with star formation, methanol masers are the best tools to do this, and their large number allows us to probe the entire Galaxy. In particular I will focus on the determination of the luminosity function of methanol masers and on the determination of an unambiguous signature for a circumstellar masing disc seen edge-on. Finally I will try to point out some future fields of research in the study of methanol masers.

Type
Contributed Papers
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2008

References

Bronfman, L., Casassus, S., May, J. & Nyman, L.-AA. 2000 A&A, 358, 521Google Scholar
Busfield, A. L., Purcell, C. R., Hoare, M. G., Lumsden, S. L., Moore, T. J. T. & Oudmaijer, R. D. 2006 MNRAS, 366, 1096CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Caswell, J. L., Vaile, R. A., Ellingsen, S. P., Whiteoak, J. B. & Norris, R. P. 1995, MNRAS, 272, 96CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cragg, D. M., Sobolev, A. M. & Godfrey, P. D.MNRAS, 360, 533Google Scholar
Dame, T. M., Ungerechts,, H., Cohen, R. S., Geus, E. J., Grenier, I. A., May,, J., Murphy, D. C., Nyman, L. -AA. & Thaddeus, P. 1987, ApJ, 322, 1706CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DeBuizer, J. M. 2003, itMNRAS, 341, 277Google Scholar
De Buizer, J. M. & Minier, V. 2005, ApJ, 628, L151CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ellingsen, S. P., von Bibra, M. L., McCulloch, P. M., Norris, R. P., Deshpande, A. A. & Phillips, C. J. 1996, MNRAS, 280, 378CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fux, R. 1999 A&A, 345, 787Google Scholar
Goedhart, S., Gaylard, M. J. & van der Walt, D. J., 2004 MNRAS, 355, 553CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hill, T., Burton, M. G., Minier, V., Thompson, M. A., Walsh, A. J., Hunt-Cunningham, M. & Garay, G. 2005, MNRAS, 363, 405Google Scholar
Harvey-Smith, L. & Cohen, R. J. 2006, MNRAS, 371, 1550CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Minier, V., Booth, R. S., & Conway, J. E. 1998, A&A, 336, L5Google Scholar
Minier, V., Booth, R. S. & Conway, J. E. 2002, A&A, 383, 614Google Scholar
Minier, V., Ellingsen, S. P., Norris, R. P. & Booth, R. S. 2003, A&A, 403, 1095Google Scholar
Pandian, J. D., Goldsmith, P. F. & Deshpande, A. A. 2007, ApJ, 656, 255CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pestalozzi, M. R., Humphreys, E. M. L. & Booth, R. S. 2002a, A&A, 384, L15Google Scholar
Pestalozzi, M. R., Humphreys, E. M. L. & Booth, R. S. 2002b, in: Migenes, V. and Reid, M. (eds.), Cosmic Masers: from Proto-Stars to Black Holes, IAU 206 (ASP Conference Series), p. 139Google Scholar
Pestalozzi, M. R., Elitzur, M., Conway, J. E., & Booth, R. S. 2004, ApJL, 603, L113, erratum: 2004, ApJ, 606, L173Google Scholar
Pestalozzi, M. R., Minier, V., & Booth, R. S. 2005, A&A, 432, 737Google Scholar
Pestalozzi, M. R., Minier, V., Motte, F., & Conway, J. E. 2006, A&A, 448, L57Google Scholar
Pestalozzi, M. R., Chrysostomou, A., Collett, J.Minier, V., Conway, J. E. & Booth, R. S. 2007a, A&A, 463, 1009Google Scholar
Pestalozzi, M. R. and Elitzur, M. and Conway, J. E. 2007b, in prep. for ApJGoogle Scholar
Ponomarev, V. O. and Smith, H. A. and Strelnitski, V. S. 1994, ApJ, 424, 976Google Scholar
Purcell, C. and Balasubramanyam, R. and Burton, M. G. et al. 2006, MNRAS, 367, 553Google Scholar
Schutte, A. J., van der Walt, D. J., Gaylard, M. L. & MacLeod, G. C. 1993, MNRAS, 261, 783CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sobolev, A. M., Cragg, D. M. & Godfrey, P. D. 1997, MNRAS, 288, L39Google Scholar
Szymczak, M., Hrynek, G. & Kus, A. J. 2000, A&AS, 143, 269Google Scholar
Szymczak, M., Kus, A. J., Hrynek, G., Kepa, A. & Pazdereski, E. 2002, A&A, 392, 277Google Scholar
Walsh, A. J., Burton, M. G., Hylard, A. R., & Robinson, G. 1998, MNRAS, 301, 640Google Scholar
Walt, J. 2005 MNRAS, 360, 153Google Scholar
Wiesemeyer, H., Thum, C. & Walmsley, C. M. 2004 A&A, 428, 479Google Scholar