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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 May 2016
We used MERLIN to observe RT Vir at 22 GHz at six epochs during 10 weeks. The water maser emission comes from a thick expanding shell with an elliptical velocity field. MERLIN has a velocity resolution of 0.1 km s−1 and milli-arcsecond angular resolution, revealing details within the individual maser clouds, typically 12 mas in diameter spanning 15 velocity channels. The brightest peak doubles in intensity to 800 Jy/beam. Features at velocities close to the stellar velocity show the largest proper motions of ∼ 3 mas away from the centre of emission. Some features are seen near the outer limits to the maser shell at early epochs only, but new masers appear close to the inner rim. The variability of individual maser features is not a simple function of the stellar luminosity.