We observed the H2O maser at the nucleus of the Seyfert 2, IC 2560, using the VLBA and the phased VLA. The systemic, red-shifted and blue-shifted maser features and a continuum component have been detected. We propose a maser disk in the nuclear region. The systemic and red-shifted features are emitted from a nearly edge-on disk with the position angle of PA = −47°. The thickness is 2H < 0.025 pc. The binding mass is 3.5 × 106M⊙. Assuming the Keplerian rotation, the radii at the disk are r = 0.087-0.335 pc and the rotation velocities are 213–418 km s−1. The mean density within the inner radius is 1.3 × 109M⊙ pc−3, suggesting a massive black hole at the center. A continuum component is considered as a jet ejected from the nucleus, with an angle of 70° from the disk. The blue-shifted maser feature is located on the continuum component, being interpreted to be a ‘jet maser’.

Over the last decade it has been demonstrated that supernova remnant (SNR) OH (1720 MHz) masers are unique tracers of SNR/molecular cloud interactions. Here I briefly review the current state of our observational understanding of these masers including results from recent MERLIN and VLBA full polarization studies of the masers in W28, W44, and W51C. Some of our findings include that (1) in accordance with theory, the linear polarization position angles are either parallel or perpendicular to the plane-of-sky magnetic field determined through other observations; (2) the maser spot sizes are fairly large (~ 1014 cm) and exhibit a core/halo morphology; and (3) while the magnetic field strengths do increase slightly with higher resolution, this effect can be completely explained by spectral/spatial blending.

Class I methanol masers are found near regions of high-mass star formation and are pumped by collisions. Some indication of long-term variability in these masers has previously been reported (Kurtz et al. 2004). Here we will present evidence for variations in the intensity of the Class I methanol masers at 44 GHz on much shorter timescales. We present preliminary results of the observation of the 44 GHz Class I methanol transition toward sources in the DR21 region that indicates variability on timescales of days to possibly hours.

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.

This review covers selected developments in maser theory since the previous meeting, Cosmic Masers: From Proto-Stars to Black Holes (Migenes & Reid 2002). Topics included are time variability of fundamental constants, pumping of OH megamasers and indicators for differentiating disks from bi-directional outflows.

MERLIN observations of 6.668-GHz Methanol and 6.035-GHz OH emission from the known massive star-formation region ON1 are presented. Maser components are found to lie at the southern edge of the UCHII with consistent polarization angles across the strongest features. Zeeman splitting of OH shows magnetic field strengths between +0.4 to −5.3 mG and from cross-correlation a tentative methanol magnetic field of −18mG is detected.

We present TCS-CAIN, a NIR survey of the Galactic plane, recently made public at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, and some results derived from it: with star counts derived directly the structure of the inner the Milky Way can be dissected, obtaining also estimations for the extinction toward the inner MW.

IAU242 was held in Alice Springs, a town of 28,000 in central Australia. In this paper the Alice after whom the town is named is identified, and her astronomical connections described.

We present the results of spectral energy distribution analysis for 162 of the 405 sources reported in the SIMBA survey of Hill et al. (2005). The fits reveal source specific parameters including: the luminosity, mass, temperature, H2 number density, the surface density and the luminosity-to-mass ratio. Each of these parameters are examined with respect to the four classes of source present in the sample. Obvious luminosity and temperature distinctions exist between the mm-only cores and those cores with methanol maser and/or radio continuum emission, with the former cooler and less luminous than the latter. The evidence suggests that the mm-only cores are a precursor to the methanol maser in the formation of massive stars. The mm-only cores comprise two distinct populations distinguished by temperature. Analysis and conclusions about the nature of the cool-mm and warm-mm cores comprising the mm-only population are drawn.

We present VLBI and single dish observations of a strong (1000 Jy) OH maser flare at 1665 MHz in the star-forming region W75N. This new flare appeared in 2003, after a 100 Jy flare in 2000. Three major spectral features N1, N2, and N3 were present at all epochs, with N1 declining and N2 increasing in flux density during observations taken in 2003–2006. All three features have strong linear polarization approaching 90%. VLBI maps show that along with the strong features N1-3, many weaker features have appeared within 100 mas of the ultra compact HII region VLA 2. The proper motion of the flare feature N1 was measured: Δα=1.36±0.3; Δδ=-0.3±0.3 mas in 1.75 years, corresponding to a tangential velocity of about 8 km s−1 relative to the rest of the features, and is comparable to the radial velocity range in the VLA 2 disk.

The observed molecular properties of a sample of FIR-luminous and OH megamaser (OH-MM) galaxies have been investigated. The ratio of high and low-density tracer lines is found to be determined by the progression of the star formation in the system. The HCO+/HCN and HCO+/HNC line ratios are good proxies for the density of the gas, and PDR and XDR sources can be distinguished using the HNC/HCN line ratio. The properties of the OH-MM sources in the sample can be explained by PDR chemistry in gas with densities higher than 105.5cm−3, confirming the classical OH-MM model of IR pumped amplification with (variable) low gains.

Maser emission from the SiO molecule has been widely observed in the near-circumstellar envelopes of late-type, evolved stars. VLBI images can resolve individual SiO maser spots, providing information about the kinematics and magnetic field in the extended atmospheres of these stars. This poster presents full polarization images of several SiO maser lines towards the supergiant star VY CMa. VY CMa is a particularly strong SiO maser source and allows observations of a wide range of maser transitions. We discuss implications of these observations for VY CMa morphology, polarization, and pumping models.

Interstellar masers are unique probes of the environments in which they arise. In studies of high-mass star formation their primary function has been as signposts of these regions and they have been used as probes of the kinematics and physical conditions in only a few sources. With a few notable exceptions, we know relatively little about the evolutionary phase the different maser species trace, nor their location with respect to other star formation tracers. While detailed studies of a small number of maser regions can reveal much about them, other information can only be obtained through large, systematic searches. In particular, such surveys are vital in efforts to determine an evolutionary sequence for the common maser species, and there is growing evidence that methanol masers may trace an earlier phase than the other common maser species of OH and water.

We present a review of the field of formaldehyde (H2CO) 6cm masers in the Galaxy. Previous to our ongoing work, H2CO 6cm masers had been detected in the Galaxy only toward three regions: NGC7538 IRS1, Sgr B2, and G29.96–0.02. Current efforts by our group using the Very Large Array, Arecibo, and the Green Bank Telescope have resulted in the detection of four new H2CO 6cm maser regions. We discuss the characteristics of the known H2CO masers and the association of H2CO 6cm masers with very young regions of massive star formation. We also review the current ideas on the pumping mechanism for H2CO 6cm masers.

We are using a Japanese VLBI network (JVN) for VLBI observations of 6.7-GHz methanol masers associated with massive star-forming regions. Here we present results for Cepheus A (Cep A) from observations taken on September 9, 2006. The distribution of the maser spots indicates either a spherical bubble or a disk having an inclination of several tens degree. We construct a disk model with an inclination of ~70° and a radius of ~700 AU. From a luminosity of 1.7 × 104L⊙ for a source observed in this region, the excitation of the maser is probably radiative.

A determination of the Hubble Constant (H0) to better than 3% would be the best complement to cosmic microwave background (CMB) data to constrain the equation of state of Dark Energy. Water vapor megamasers provide perhaps the best opportunity for measuring direct distances to galaxies out to about 200 Mpc. We have formed a team of astronomers in the Megamaser Cosmology Project to pursue the ambitious goal of making a precise measurement of H0 by measuring such distances using the techniques pioneered on the disk maser in NGC 4258 by Herrnstein et al (1999). In recent surveys we have made significant progress identifying new maser systems analogous to that in NGC 4258, but more distant. Once the appropriate candidates are identified, two types of observations are necessary to ultimately measure a distance: single-dish monitoring to measure the acceleration of gas in the disk, and sensitive VLBI imaging in order to measure the angular size of the disk, measure the rotation curve, and model radial displacement of the systemic maser features. We have recently obtained preliminary VLBI maps of the masers in two systems, NGC 6323 and UGC 3789. The maser disks in both galaxies were discovered and monitored with the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) and subsequently imaged with the High Sensitivity Array (VLBA + GBT + Effelsberg). In this contribution we present a map of the maser distribution in one of those systems, NGC 6323. The map demonstrates that pc-scale maser disks as distant as ~ 100 Mpc can be imaged with existing telescopes. Results on UGC 3789 will be presented in a later publication.

Recently, with the development of sensitive maser receiver and wide-band spectrometer, maser emission were detected toward more and more galaxies. 69 galaxies beyond the Magellanic Clouds has been reported with H2O maser emission (to 2006.12). The statistical properties of the sample of extragalactic H2O masers are not well explored. Here we collect observation data of all these detected extragalactic H2O maser sources and give a statistical analysis to investigate the statistical properties of the sample.

Despite theoretical predictions of the existence of many submillimeter masers, and some pioneering observational discoveries over the past few decades, these lines have remained relatively unstudied due to (i) challenges associated with observing at shorter wavelength; and, (ii) the lack of possibility of high (< 14″ at 345 GHz) angular resolution observations. With the advent of the SMA, the first submillimeter imaging array capable of sub-arcsecond resolution, APEX, and the promise of ALMA, opportunities are opening for performing new science with millimeter/submillmeter masers. In this talk, I will review recent work in the field - including extragalactic H2O millimeter masers, hydrogen recombination masers, submillimeter masers in star-forming regions, and in the envelopes of evolved stars - and discuss prospects for the future.

We present the results of SiO line observations of a sample of known SiO maser sources covering a wide dust-temperature range. The aim of the present research is to investigate the causes of the correlation between infrared colors and SiO maser intensity ratios among different transition lines. We observed in total 75 SiO maser sources with the Nobeyama 45m telescope quasi-simultaneously in the SiO J = 1-0 v = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and J = 2-1 v = 1, 2 lines. We also observed the sample in the 29SiO J = 1-0 v = 0 and J = 2-1 v = 0, and 30SiO J = 1-0 v = 0 lines, and the H2O 61,6-52,3 line. As reported in previous papers, we confirmed that the intensity ratios of the SiO J = 1-0 v = 2 to v = 1 lines clearly correlate with infrared colors. In addition, we found possible correlation between infrared colors and the intensity ratios of the SiO J = 1-0 v = 3 to v = 1&2 lines.

We present the results of recent surveys in the 44GHz methanol maser line toward regions of massive star formation using the Haystack 37m telescope and the VLA. We discuss a possible shock origin of this maser line and present evidence for variability from multi-epoch observations of selected sources.