Published July 10, 2010 | Version v1
Journal article

QUASI-PERIODIC FORMALDEHYDE MASER FLARES IN THE MASSIVE PROTOSTELLAR OBJECT IRAS 18566+0408

  • 1. Physics Department, Western Illinois University, 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455 (United States)
  • 2. National Radio Astronomy Observatory, P.O. Box O, Socorro, NM 87801 (United States)
  • 3. Centro de RadioastronomIa y Astrofisica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Apdo. Postal 3-72, 58089 Morelia, Michoacan (Mexico)
  • 4. Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom)
  • 5. Max-Planck-Institut fuer Astronomie, Koenigstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany)
  • 6. University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras, Physics Department, P.O. Box 23343, San Juan, PR 00931 (Puerto Rico)
  • 7. Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)

Description

We report results of an extensive observational campaign of the 6 cm formaldehyde maser in the young massive stellar object IRAS 18566+0408 (G37.55+0.20) conducted from 2002 to 2009. Using the Arecibo Telescope, the Very Large Array, and the Green Bank Telescope, we discovered quasi-periodic formaldehyde flares (P ∼ 237 days). Based on Arecibo observations, we also discovered correlated variability between formaldehyde (H2CO) and methanol (CH3OH) masers. The H2CO and CH3OH masers are not spatially coincident, as demonstrated by different line velocities and high angular resolution MERLIN observations. The flares could be caused by variations in the infrared radiation field, possibly modulated by periodic accretion onto a young binary system.

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/717/2/L133

Additional details

Identifiers

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Astrophysical Journal Letters
Journal Volume
717
Journal Issue
2
Journal Page Range
p. L133-L137
ISSN
2041-8205

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
42045946
Subject category
S79: ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY;
Descriptors DEI
FORMALDEHYDE; INFRARED RADIATION; MASERS; METHANOL; TELESCOPES
Descriptors DEC
ALCOHOLS; ALDEHYDES; AMPLIFIERS; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT; HYDROXY COMPOUNDS; MICROWAVE AMPLIFIERS; MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; RADIATIONS