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We present the full data release for the Southern Parkes Large-Area Survey in Hydroxyl (SPLASH), a sensitive, unbiased single-dish survey of the Southern Galactic Plane in all four ground-state transitions of the OH radical at 1612, 1665, 1667, and 1720 MHz. The survey covers the inner Galactic Plane, Central Molecular Zone, and Galactic Centre over the range | b | < 2°, 332 |$^{\circ }\, \lt l \lt $| 10°, with a small extension between 2 |$^{\circ }\, \lt b \lt $| 6°, 358 |$^{\circ }\, \lt l \lt $| 4°. SPLASH is the most sensitive large-scale survey of OH to-date, reaching a characteristic root-mean-square sensitivity of ∼15 mK for an effective velocity resolution of ∼0.9 km s−1. The spectral line datacubes are optimized for the analysis of extended, quasi-thermal OH, but also contain numerous maser sources, which have been confirmed interferometrically and published elsewhere. We also present radio continuum images at 1612, 1666, and 1720 MHz. Based on initial comparisons with 12CO(J  = 1–0), we find that OH rarely extends outside CO cloud boundaries in our data, but suggest that large variations in CO-to-OH brightness temperature ratios may reflect differences in the total gas column density traced by each. Column density estimation in the complex, continuum-bright Inner Galaxy is a challenge, and we demonstrate how failure to appropriately model sub-beam structure and the line-of-sight source distribution can lead to order-of-magnitude errors. Anomalous excitation of the 1612 and 1720 MHz satellite lines is ubiquitous in the inner Galaxy, but is disabled by line overlap in and around the Central Molecular Zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From targeted observations of ground-state hydroxyl (OH) masers towards 702 Methanol Multibeam survey 6.7-GHz methanol masers, in the Galactic longitude range from 186° through the Galactic Centre to 20°, made as part of the 'MAGMO' (Mapping the Galactic Magnetic field through OH masers) project, we present the physical and polarization properties of the 1720-MHz OH maser transition, including the identification of Zeeman pairs. We present 10 new and 23 previously catalogued 1720-MHz OH maser sources detected towards star-forming regions (SFRs). In addition, we also detected 16 1720-MHz OH masers associated with supernova remnants and two sites of diffuse OH emission. Towards the 33 star formation masers, we identify 44 Zeeman pairs, implying magnetic field strengths ranging from −11.4 to +13.2 mG, and a median magnetic field strength of | B LOS| ∼ 6 mG. With limited statistics, we present the in situ magnetic field orientation of the masers and the Galactic magnetic field distribution revealed by the 1720-MHz transition. We also examine the association statistics of 1720-MHz OH SFR masers with other ground-state OH masers, excited-state OH masers, class I and class II methanol masers, and water masers, and compare maser positions with mid-infrared images of the parent SFRs. Of the 33 1720-MHz star formation masers, 10 are offset from their central exciting sources, and appear to be associated with outflow activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Methanol Multibeam survey has produced the largest and most complete census of methanol and excited-state hydroxyl masers in the Galaxy to date. Observing the entire Galactic plane visible from the Southern hemisphere for 6668-MHz methanol and 6030/6035-MHz hydroxyl masers, to an rms sensitivity of 0.015 Jy km s-1, the survey has detected a total of 972 methanol maser sources, implying a total Galactic population of ~1290 sources with flux densities above the survey 3σ peak flux density limit of 0.51 Jy. We present here the statistical properties of the methanol detections of the survey, including distributions in flux density, variability and range of source velocities. The data suggest that the weaker masers exhibit greater variability. We also present an analysis of the Galactic distribution of 6668-MHz methanol masers. For the Galactic distribution, we present kinematic distance resolutions to an additional 202 sources to those published previously, and collate these with previous allocations, as well as exploring a recent Bayesian distance approach based on maser parallaxes to separately determine distances. We examine Galactic structure and determine the luminosity function of the Galactic population of methanol masers. We find that more luminous masers have an evenly distributed wide range of velocity widths compared with less luminous masers being dominated by narrow velocity ranges, with the implication that this may be tied to the evolution of the host protostar(s). We also see an indication that brighter sources are seen towards the arm origins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present polarimetric maser observations with the Australia Telescope Compact Array of excited-state hydroxyl (OH) masers. We observed 30 fields of OH masers in full Stokes polarization with the Compact Array Broadband Backend at both the 6030 and 6035 MHz excited-state OH transitions, and the 6668 MHz methanol maser transition, detecting 70 sites of maser emission. Amongst the OH we found 112 Zeeman pairs, of which 18 exhibited candidate π components. This is the largest single full polarimetric study of multiple sites of star formation for these frequencies, and the rate of 16 per cent π components clearly indicates that the π component exists, and is comparable to the percentage recently found for groundstate transitions. This significant percentage of π components, with consistent proportions at both ground- and excited-state transitions, argues against Faraday rotation suppressing the π component emission. Our simultaneous observations of methanol found the expected low level of polarization, with no circular detected, and linear only found at the =10 per cent level for the brightest sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent comparisons of magnetic field directions derived from maser Zeeman splitting with those derived from continuum source rotation measures have prompted new analysis of the propagation of the Zeeman split components, and the inferred field orientation. In order to do this, we first review differing electric field polarization conventions used in past studies. With these clearly and consistently defined, we then show that for a given Zeeman splitting spectrum, the magnetic field direction is fully determined and predictable on theoretical grounds: when a magnetic field is oriented away from the observer, the left-hand circular polarization is observed at higher frequency and the right-hand polarization at lower frequency. This is consistent with classical Lorentzian derivations. The consequent interpretation of recent measurements then raises the possibility of a reversal between the large-scale field (traced by rotation measures) and the small-scale field (traced by maser Zeeman splitting). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We present the pilot results of the 'MAGMO' project, targeted observations of ground-state hydroxyl masers towards sites of 6.7-GHz methanol maser emission in the Carina-Sagittarius spiral arm tangent, Galactic longitudes 280° to 295°. The 'MAGMO' project aims to determine if Galactic magnetic fields can be traced with Zeeman splitting of masers associated with star formation. Pilot observations of 23 sites of methanol maser emission were made, with the detection of ground-state hydroxyl masers towards 11 of these and six additional offset sites. Of these 17 sites, nine are new detections of sites of 1665-MHz maser emission, three of them accompanied by 1667-MHz emission. More than 70 per cent of the maser features have significant circular polarization, whilst only ∼10 per cent have significant linear polarization (although some features with up to 100 per cent linear polarization are found). We find 11 Zeeman pairs across six sites of high-mass star formation with implied magnetic field strengths between -1.5 and +3.8 mG and a median field strength of +1.6 mG. Our measurements of Zeeman splitting imply that a coherent field orientation is experienced by the maser sites across a distance of 5.3 ± 2.0 kpc within the Carina-Sagittarius spiral arm tangent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Through a series of observations with the Australia Telescope Compact Array we have monitored the variability of the ground-state hydroxyl maser emission from G12.889+0.489 in all four Stokes polarization products. These observations were motivated by the known periodicity in the associated 6.7-GHz methanol maser emission. A total of 27 epochs of observations were made over 16 months. No emission was seen from either the 1612- or 1720-MHz satellite line transitions (to a typical five sigma upper limit of 0.2 Jy). The peak flux densities of the 1665- and 1667-MHz emission were observed to vary at a level of ∼20 per cent (with the exception of one epoch which dropped by ≤40 per cent). There was no distinct flaring activity at any epoch, but there was a weak indication of periodic variability, with a period and phase of minimum emission similar to that of methanol. There is no significant variation in the polarized properties of the hydroxyl, with Stokes Q and U flux densities varying in accord with the Stokes I intensity (linear polarization, P, varying by ≤20 per cent) and the right and left circularly polarized components varying by ≤33 per cent at 1665 MHz and ≤38 per cent at 1667 MHz. These observations are the first monitoring observations of the hydroxyl maser emission from G12.889+0.489. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We present the kinematic distance ambiguity resolutions of over 400 6.7-GHz methanol masers. Using the data sets of the International Galactic Plane Survey we have extracted H i spectra towards the sites of methanol maser emission between longitudes 270° and 67° and examined them for evidence of H i self-absorption. Using well-established criteria we identify 442 resolutions (classified by reliability) with a 1.07:1.11 ratio between near and far kinematic distance assignments. For a sub-sample of 118, we compare our resolutions with those of the literature and find 85 ± 10 per cent agreement. Using the distances we examine the Galactocentric distribution and properties of the masers. We also compare 6.7-GHz maser velocities with those of CS, finding the maser mid-velocity is closely correlated with the CS velocity, typically to within 2.8 km s−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have conducted a Galactic plane survey of methanol masers at 6668 MHz using a seven-beam receiver on the Parkes telescope. Here we present results from the first part, which provides sensitive unbiased coverage of a large region around the Galactic Centre. Details are given for 183 methanol maser sites in the longitude range 345° through the Galactic Centre to 6°. Within 6° of the Galactic Centre, we found 88 maser sites, of which more than half (48) are new discoveries. The masers are confined to a narrow Galactic latitude range, indicative of many sources at the Galactic Centre distance and beyond, and confined to a thin disc population; there is no high-latitude population that might be ascribed to the Galactic bulge. Within 2° of the Galactic Centre the maser velocities all lie between −60 and , a range much smaller than the range observed in CO. Elsewhere, the maser with highest positive velocity occurs, surprisingly, near longitude 355° and is probably attributable to the Galactic bar. The maser with the most negative velocity is near longitude 346°, within the longitude–velocity locus of the near side of the ‘3-kpc arm’. It has the most extreme velocity of a clear population of masers associated with the near and far sides of the 3-kpc arm. Closer to the Galactic Centre the maser space density is generally low, except within 0.25 kpc of the Galactic Centre itself, the ‘Galactic Centre zone’, where it is 50 times higher, which is hinted at by the longitude distribution, and confirmed by the unusual velocities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new seven-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 2006 January 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 ∼0.17 Jy. 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 d of observations with 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of the first complete survey for 6668-MHz CH3OH and 6035-MHz excited-state OH masers in the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds are presented. A new 6668-MHz CH3OH maser in the Large Magellanic Cloud has been detected towards the star-forming region N 160a, together with a new 6035-MHz excited-state OH maser detected towards N 157a. We also re-observed the previously known 6668-MHz CH3OH masers and the single known 6035-MHz OH maser. Neither maser transition was detected above ~0.13 Jy in the Small Magellanic Cloud. All observations were initially made using the CH3OH Multibeam (MMB) survey receiver on the 64-m Parkes radio telescope as part of the overall MMB project. Accurate positions were measured with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). In a comparison of the star formation maser populations in the Magellanic Clouds and our Galaxy, the LMC maser populations are demonstrated to be smaller than their Milky Way counterparts. CH3OH masers are under-abundant by a factor of ~50, whilst OH and H2O masers are a factor of ~10 less abundant than our Galaxy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The methanol multi-beam (MMB) survey has produced the largest and most complete catalogue of Galactic 6.7-GHz methanol masers to date. 6.7-GHz methanol masers are exclusively associated with high-mass star formation, and as such provide invaluable insight into the Galactic distribution and properties of high-mass star formation regions. I present the statistical properties of the MMB catalogue and, through the calculation of kinematic distances, investigate the resolution of distance ambiguities and explore the Galactic distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]