M. A. Voronkov

The Australia Telescope Compact Array Broad-band Backend: description and first results

Here we describe the Compact Array Broadband Backend (CABB) and present first results obtained with the upgraded Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). The 16-fold increase in observing bandwidth, from 2×128 MHz to 2×2048 MHz, high bit sampling, and addition of 16 zoom windows (each divided into a further 2048 channels) provide major improvements for all ATCA observations. The benefits of the new system are: (1) hugely increased radio continuum and polarization sensitivity as well as image fidelity, (2) substantially improved capability to search for and map emission and absorption lines over large velocity ranges, (3) simultaneous multi-line and continuum observations, (4) increased sensitivity, survey speed and dynamic range due to high-bit sampling, and (5) high velocity resolution, while maintaining full polarization output. The new CABB system encourages all observers to make use of both spectral line and continuum data to achieve their full potential. Given the dramatic increase of the ATCA capabilities in all bands (ranging from 1.1 to 105 GHz) CABB enables scientific projects that were not feasible before the upgrade, such as simultaneous observations of multiple spectral lines, on-the-fly mapping, fast follow-up of radio transients (e.g., the radio afterglow of new supernovae) and maser observations at high velocity resolution and full polarization. The first science results presented here include wide-band spectra, high dynamic-range images, and polarization measurements, highlighting the increased capability and discovery potential of the ATCA.

The 6-GHz methanol multibeam maser catalogue - I. Galactic Centre region, longitudes 345° to 6°

Original article can be found at: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/ Copyright Royal Astronomical Society

The 6-GHz multibeam maser survey – I. Techniques

A new 7-beam 6 7 GHz receiver has been built to survey the Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds for newly forming high-mass stars that are pinpointed by strong methanol maser emission at 6668 MHz. The receiver was jointly constructed by Jodrell Bank Observatory (JBO) and the Australia Telescope National Facility (ATNF) and allows simultaneous coverage at 6668 and 6035 MHz. It was successfully commissioned at Parkes in January 2006 and is now being used to conduct the Parkes-Jodrell multibeam maser survey of the Milky Way. This will be the first systematic survey of the entire Galactic plane for masers of not only 6668-MHz methanol, but also 6035-MHz excited-state hydroxyl. The survey is two orders of magnitude faster than most previous systematic surveys and has an rms noise level of �0.17Jy. This paper describes the observational strategy, techniques and reduction procedures of the Galactic and Magellanic Cloud surveys, together with deeper, pointed, follow-up observations and complementary observations with other instruments. It also includes an estimate of the survey detection efficiency. The 111 days of observationswith the Parkes telescope have so far yielded >800 methanol sources, of which �350 are new discoveries. The whole project will provide the first comprehensive Galaxy-wide catalogue of 6668-MHz and 6035-MHz masers.

Deep Atlas Radio Observations of the Chandra Deep Field – South / Spitzer Wide-area Infrared Extragalactic Field

We present the first results from the Australia Telescope Large Area Survey (ATLAS), which consist of deep radio observations of a 3.7 square degree field surrounding the Chandra Deep Field South, largely coincident with the infrared Spitzer Wide-Area Extragalactic (SWIRE) Survey. We also list cross-identifications to infrared and optical photometry data from SWIRE, and ground-based optical spectroscopy. A total of 784 radio components are identified, corresponding to 726 distinct radio sources, nearly all of which are identified with SWIRE sources. Of the radio sources with measured redshifts, most lie in the redshift range 0.5-2, and include both star-forming galaxies and active galactic nuclei (AGN). We identify a rare population of infrared-faint radio sources which are bright at radio wavelengths but are not seen in the available optical, infrared, or X-ray data. Such rare classes of sources can only be discovered in wide, deep surveys such as this.We present the first results from the Australia Telescope Large Area Survey, which consists of deep radio observations of a 3.7 deg2 field surrounding the Chandra Deep Field-South, largely coincident with the infrared Spitzer Wide-Area Infrared Extragalactic (SWIRE) Survey. We also list cross-identifications to infrared and optical photometry data from SWIRE, and ground-based optical spectroscopy. A total of 784 radio components are identified, corresponding to 726 distinct radio sources, nearly all of which are identified with SWIRE sources. Of the radio sources with measured redshifts, most lie in the redshift range 0.5-2 and include both star-forming galaxies and active galactic nuclei. We identify a rare population of infrared-faint radio sources that are bright at radio wavelengths but are not seen in the available optical, infrared, or X-ray data. Such rare classes of sources can only be discovered in wide, deep surveys such as this.

The 6-GHz methanol multibeam maser catalogue - II. Galactic longitudes 6° to 20 °

The definitive version is available at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com Copyright Royal Astronomical Society.

The 6-GHz methanol multibeam maser catalogue – IV. Galactic longitudes 186°–330° including the Orion–Monoceros region

We present the fourth portion of a Galactic plane survey of methanol masers at 6668 MHz, spanning the longitude range 186°–330°. We report 207 maser detections, 89 new to the survey. This completes the southern sky part of the methanol multibeam survey and includes a large proportion of new sources, 43 per cent. We also include results from blind observations of the Orion–Monoceros star-forming region, formally outside the latitude range of the methanol multibeam survey; only the four previously known methanol emitting sites were detected, of which we present new positions and spectra for masers at Orion A (south) and Orion B, obtained with the Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN) array.

Class I methanol masers in the outflow of IRAS 16 547-4247

The Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) has been used to image class I methanol masers at 9.9, 25 (a series from J = 2 to 9), 84, 95 and 104 GHz located in the vicinity of IRAS 16 547-4247 (G343.12-0.06), a luminous young stellar object known to harbour a radio jet. The detected maser emission consists of a cluster of six spots spread over an area of 30 arcsec. Five spots were detected in only the 84- and 95-GHz transitions (for two spots the 84-GHz detection is marginal), while the sixth spot shows activity in all 12 observed transitions. We report the first interferometric observations of the rare 9.9- and 104-GHz masers. It is shown that the spectra contain a very narrow spike (< 0.03 km s -1) and the brightness temperature in these two transitions exceeds 5.3 × 10 7 and 2.0 × 10 4K, respectively. The three most southern maser spots show a clear association with the shocked gas traced by the H 2 2.12-μm emission associated with the radio jet and their velocities are close to that of the molecular core within which the jet is embedded. This fact supports the idea that the class I masers reside in the interface regions of outflows. Comparison with OH masers and infrared data reveals a potential discrepancy in the expected evolutionary state. The presence of the OH masers usually means that the source is evolved, but the infrared data suggest otherwise. The lack of any class II methanol maser emission at 6.7 GHz in the source raises an additional question, Is this source too young or too old to have a 6.7-GHz maser? We argue that both cases are possible and suggest that the evolutionary stage where the class I masers are active, may last longer and start earlier than when the class II masers are active. However, it is currently not possible to reveal the exact evolutionary status of IRAS 16 547-4247.

Chemistry in infrared dark clouds

Context. Massive stars play an important role in shaping the structure of galaxies. Infrared dark clouds (IRDCs), with their low temperatures and high densities, have been identified as the potential birthplaces of massive stars. In order to understand the formation processes of massive stars, the physical and chemical conditions in infrared dark clouds have to be characterized. Aims. The goal of this paper is to investigate the chemical composition of a sample of southern infrared dark clouds. One important aspect of the observations is to check, whether the molecular abundances in IRDCs are similar to the low-mass pre-stellar cores, or if they show signatures of more evolved evolutionary stages. Methods. We performed observations toward 15 IRDCs in the frequency range between 86 and 93 GHz using the 22-m Mopra radio telescope. In total, 13 molecular species comprising N 2 H + , 13 CS, CH 3 CN, HC 3 N, HNC, HCO + , HCN, HNCO, C 2 H, SiO, H 13 CO + , H 13 CN, and CH 3 C 2 H were observed for all targets. Hence, we included in general species appropriate for elevated densities, where some of them trace the more quiescent gas, while others are sensitive to more dynamical processes. Results. We detect HNC, HCO + , and HNC emission in all clouds and N 2 H + in all IRDCs except one. In some clouds we detect SiO emission. Complicated shapes of the HCO + emission line profile are found in all IRDCs. Both signatures indicate infall and outflow motions and the beginning of star-formation activity, at least in some parts of the IRDCs. Where possible, we calculate molecular abundances and make a comparison with previously obtained values for low-mass pre-stellar cores and high-mass protostellar objects (HMPOs). We show a tendency for IRDCs to have molecular abundances similar to low-mass pre-stellar cores rather than to HMPOs abundances on the scale of our single-dish observations.

Advances in Calibration and Imaging Techniques in Radio Interferometry

This paper summarizes some of the major calibration and image reconstruction techniques used in radio interferometry and describes them in a common mathematical framework. The use of this framework has a number of benefits, ranging from clarification of the fundamentals, use of standard numerical optimization techniques, and generalization or specialization to new algorithms.

Confirmation of the exclusive association between 6.7-GHz methanol masers and high-mass star formation regions

Recently, a comparison between the locations of 6.7-GHz methanol masers and dust continuum emission has renewed speculation that these masers can be associated with evolved stars. The implication of such a scenario would be profound, especially for the interpretation of large surveys for 6.7-GHz masers, individual studies where high-mass star formation has been inferred from the presence of 6.7-GHz methanol masers and for the pumping mechanisms of these masers. We have investigated the two instances where 6.7-GHz methanol masers have been explicitly suggested to be associated with evolved stars, and we find the first to be associated with a standard high-mass star formation region, and the second to be a spurious detection.We also find no evidence to suggest that the methanol maser action can be supported in the environments of evolved stars.We thereby confirm their exclusive association with high-mass star formation regions.