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Oxygen-rich Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars are intense emitters of SiO and H$_2$O maser lines at 43 (J=1-0, v=1 and 2) and 22 GHz, respectively. VLBI observations of the maser emission provides a unique tool to sample the innermost layers of the circumstellar envelopes in AGB stars. Nevertheless, the difficulties in achieving astrometrically aligned v=1 and v=2 SiO maser maps have traditionally prevented a unique interpretation of the observations in terms of physical underlying conditions, which depend on the nature of the SiO pumping mechanism. We have carried out observations of the SiO and H$_2$O maser emission towards RLMi, using the astrometric capabilities of VERA. Due to the too-weak emission of the reference calibrator we had to develop a special method to accurately relate the coordinates for both transitions. We present relative astrometrically aligned v=1 and v=2 J=1-0 SiO maser maps, at multiple epochs, and discuss the astrophysical results. The incorporation of astrometric information into the maps of SiO masers challenges the weak points in the current theoretical models, which will need further refinements to address the observations results., Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures

OH 231.8+4.2 is a well studied preplanetary nebula (pPN) around a binary stellar system that shows a remarkable bipolar outflow. To study the structure and kinematics of the inner 10-80 AU nebular regions we performed high-resolution observations of the H$_2$O 6$_{1,6}$--5$_{2,3}$ and $^{28}$SiO $v$=2, $J$=1--0 maser emissions with the Very Long Baseline Array. The absolute position of both emission distributions were recovered using the phase referencing technique, and accurately registered in HST optical images. H$_2$O maser clumps are found to be distributed in two areas of 20 mas in size spatially displaced by $\sim$60 milli-arcseconds along an axis oriented nearly north-south. SiO masers are tentatively found to be placed between the two H$_2$O maser emitting regions, probably indicating the position of the Mira component of the system. The SiO maser emission traces an inner equatorial component with a diameter of 12 AU, probably a disk rotating around the M-type star. Outwards, we detect in the H$_2$O data a pair of polar caps, separated by 80 AU. We believe that the inner regions of the nebula probably have been altered by the presence of the companion, leading to an equator-to-pole density contrast that may explain the lack of H$_2$O masers and strong SiO maser emission in the denser, equatorial regions., Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, A&A accepted

The study of the innermost circumstellar layers around AGB stars is crucial to understand how these envelopes are formed and evolve. The SiO maser emission occurs at a few stellar radii from the central star, providing direct information on the stellar pulsation and on the chemical and physical properties of these regions. Our data also shed light on several aspects of the SiO maser pumping theory that are not well understood yet. We aim to determine} the relative spatial distribution of the 43 GHz and 86 GHz SiO maser lines in the oxygen-rich evolved star R Leo. We have imaged with milliarcsecond resolution, by means of Very Long Baseline Interferometry, the 43 GHz (28SiO v=1, 2 J=1-0 and 29SiO v=0 J=1-0) and 86 GHz (28SiO v=1 J=2-1 and 29SiO v=0 J=2-1) masing regions. We confirm previous results obtained in other oxygen-rich envelopes. In particular, when comparing the 43 GHz emitting regions, the 28SiO v=2 transition is produced in an inner layer, closer to the central star. On the other hand, the 86 GHz line arises in a clearly farther shell. We have also mapped for the first time the 29SiO v=0 J=1-0 emission in R Leo. The already reported discrepancy between the observed distributions of the different maser lines and the theoretical predictions is also found in R Leo., Comment: accepted for publication in A&A

VLBI is unique, among the space geodetic techniques, in its contribution to defining and maintaining the International Celestial Reference Frame, providing precise measurements of coordinates of extragalactic radiosources. The quest for increasing accuracy of VLBI geodetic products has lead to a deeper revision of all aspects that might introduce errors in the analysis. The departure of the observed sources from perfect, stable, compact and achromatic celestial targets falls within this category. This paper is concerned with the impact of unaccounted frequency-dependent position shifts of source cores in the analysis of dual-band S/X VLBI geodesy observations, and proposes a new method to measure them. The multi-frequency phase transfer technique developed and demonstrated by Middelberg et al. (2005) increases the high frequency coherence times of VLBI observations, using the observations at a lower frequency. Our proposed SOURCE/FREQUENCY PHASE REFERENCING method endows it with astrometric applications by adding a strategy to estimate the ionospheric contributions. Here we report on the first successful application to measure the core shift of the quasar 1038+528 A at S and X-bands, and validate the results by comparison with those from standard phase referencing techniques. In this particular case, and in general in the cm-wavelength regime, both methods are equivalent. Moreover the proposed method opens a new horizon with targets and fields suitable for high precision astrometric studies with VLBI, especially at high frequencies where severe limitations imposed by the rapid fluctuations in the troposphere prevent the use of standard phase referencing techniques., Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures. Proceedings of 17th Working Meeting on European VLBI for Geodesy and Astrometry (April 2005)

We report the first VLBI map of the v=0 J=1-0 maser line of 29SiO in the long-period variable star IRC+10011. We have found that this maser emission is composed of multiple spots distributed in an incomplete ring, suggesting that this maser is also amplified tangentially, as already proposed in other SiO circumstellar masers. We present also VLBI maps for the 7 mm 28SiO v=1 and 2 J=1-0 and the 3 mm v=1 J=2-1 lines. The 29SiO masing region appears to be located in a layer in between the 28SiO v=1 J=1-0 and 28SiO v=1 J=2-1 lines. In addition, we confirm that the 86 GHz maser v=1 J=2-1 forms in an outer region of the circumstellar envelope compared to the other 28SiO masers studied. Finally, we discuss the possible implications of the observational results on the SiO maser pumping theory., Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A Letters

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., Comment: 2 pages. 1 figure. Proceedings of the 7th European VLBI Network Symposium held in Toledo, Spain on October 12-15, 2004. Editors: R. Bachiller, F. Colomer, J.-F. Desmurs, P. de Vicente (Observatorio Astronomico Nacional), p. 213-214. Needs evn2004.cls

We report the first VLBI map of the 7 mm v=0 J=1-0 maser line of the 29-SiO isotopic substitution in the long period variable star IRC+10011. We have found that this maser emission is composed of multiple features distributed in an incomplete ring, suggesting that this maser is also amplified tangentially as already proposed in other SiO circumstellar masers. We present also the results for some 28-SiO 7 mm and 3 mm maser lines. We confirm in this epoch that the 86 GHz maser v=1 J=2-1 in IRC+10011 is formed in an outer region of the circumstellar envelope compared to the other SiO masers studied. The 29-SiO masing region appears to be located in a layer in between the 28-SiO v=1 J=1-0 and 28-SiO v=1 J=2-1 lines. Finally, we discuss the possible implications of the observational results in the SiO maser pumping theory., Comment: 4 pages. 7 figures. Proceedings of the 7th European VLBI Network Symposium held in Toledo, Spain on October 12-15, 2004. Editors: R. Bachiller, F. Colomer, J.-F. Desmurs, P. de Vicente (Observatorio Astronomico Nacional), p. 205-208. Needs evn2004.cls

We present sub-milliarcsecond observations of SiO masers in the late-type stars IRC +10011 and Chi Cyg. We have used the NRAO Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) to map the 43 GHz (v=1, 2 J=1-0) and the 86 GHz (v=1, 2 J=2-1) SiO masers. All the transitions have been imaged except the v=2 J=2-1 in IRC +10011. We report the first VLBI map of the v=1 J=2-1 28SiO maser in IRC +10011 as well as the first VLBA images of SiO masers in an S-type Mira variable, Chi Cyg. In this paper we have focused on the study of the relative spatial distribution of the different observed lines. We have found that in some cases the observational results are not reproduced by the current theoretical pumping models, either radiative or collisional. In particular, for IRC +10011, the v=1 J=1-0 and J=2-1 28SiO lines have different spatial distributions and emitting region sizes, the J=2-1 emission being located in an outer region of the envelope. For Chi Cyg, the distributions also differ, but the sizes of the masing regions are comparable. We suggest that the line overlaps between ro-vibrational transitions of two abundant molecular species, H2O and 28SiO, is a possible explanation for the discrepancies found between the observations and the theoretical predictions. We have introduced this overlapping process in the calculations of the excitation of the SiO molecule. We conclude that the line overlaps can strongly affect the excitation of SiO and may reproduce the unexpected observational results for the two sources studied., Comment: 16 pages, 12 figures

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)., Comment: 5 page, 6 figures. To be published in "Future Directions in High Resolution Astronomy", ASP Conference Series

We present milliarsecond-resolution maps of the SiO maser emission $v$=1 J=2--1 (3 mm) in the bipolar post-AGB nebula OH 231.8+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., Comment: 3 pages, 1 figure; to appear in the PASP conference proceeding of the VLBA 10th Anniversary Meeting

We present the first VLBI images of SiO masers in the circumstellar envelope of an S-type star obtained with the newly developed capabilities of the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) at 86 GHz. We combine these data with those obtained quasy simultaneously at 43 GHz. These observations provide information on the structure and dynamics of the innermost circumstellar shells, where the return of large quantities of stellar material to the interstellar medium starts. Despite of the fact that these are prelimininary results, we report that the maser emission of the $v$=1 J=1--0 and J=2--1 present a very different emission distribution, being not coincident in most case., Comment: Proceedings of the 6th European VLBI Network Symposium, Ros, E., Porcas, R.W., Lobanov, A.P., & Zensus, J.A. (eds.), MPIfR, Bonn, Germany (2002). 2 pages, 2 figures

We performed the first VLBI observations of the SiO v=1 and v=2 J=1--0 masers in a Proto Planetary Nebula OH 231.8+4.2 (also known as the Rotten Egg nebula), at milliarcsecond resolution. Only the v=2 maser transition was detected. We detect several maser spots lying along a line which is almost perpendicular to the axis of symmetry of the Nebula. We find that all the emission is concentrated in an area of ~10 mas, indicating that the SiO masers are originated very close to the surface of the star. One of the two emission areas presents an elongated structure with a clear velocity gradient. The detected emission is consistent with a torus, or disk, in rotation with a velocity of ~6 km/s and with an infall velocity of ~10 km/s., Comment: To appear in the proceedings of IAU Symposium #206: Cosmic Masers (Mangaratiba, Brazil; March 2001); 4 pages; Uses newpasp.sty

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., Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, accepted to be publised in A&A main Journal