arXiv subjects

J. F. Desmurs

Publications and source records attributed to J. F. Desmurs.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2004

mm VLBA Observations of SiO masers: probing the close stellar environment of the PPN OH231.8+4.2

We present milliarsecond-resolution maps of the SiO maser emission v=1 J=2-1 (3 mm) in the bipolar post-AGB nebula OH231.8+4.2, and compare them with our previous observations of the v=2 J=1-0 line (7 mm). Our observations show that the SiO masers arise in several bright spots forming a structure elongated in a direction perpendicular to the symmetry axis of the nebula. This, and the complex velocity gradient observed, is consistent with the presence of an equatorial torus in rotation and with an infall of material towards the star.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Multi-transition VLBA observations of circumstellar SiO masers

On this paper, we present simultaneous VLBA observations of the J=1-0 and J=2-1 rotational lines in the v=1 and v=2 vibrationally excited states of SiO (at 7 and 3 mm wavelengths). We have mapped these four maser lines in the circumstellar envelopes of three AGB stars: IRC +10011, Chi Cyg and TX Cam. We study the relative spatial distribution between these maser lines. In particular, for the two v=1 transitions, we found that the J=1-0 and J=2-1 maser spot distributions are unalike, challenging all the current theoretical pumping mechanisms for SiO masers (which predict quite similar distribution for maser lines in the same vibrational excited state).

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

VLBA observations of SiO masers: Arguments in favor of radiative pumping mechanisms

We have performed VLBA observations of the SiO v=1 and v=2 J=1-0 masers in two AGB stars, TX Cam and IRC +10011. We confirm the ring-like spatial distribution, previously found in several AGB objects, as well as the tangential polarization pattern, already reported for TX Cam. Both properties, that seem to be systematic in this kind of objects, are characteristic of radiatively pumped SiO masers. On the contrary, we do not confirm the previous report on the spatial coincidence between the J=1-0 v=1 and 2 masers, a result that would have argued in favor of collisional pumping. We find that both lines sometimes arise from nearby spots, typically separated by 1-2 mas, but are rarely coincident. The discrepancy with previous results is explained by the very high spatial resolution of our observations, ~ 0.5 mas, an order of magnitude better than in the relevant previously published experiment.

astro-ph↗