Periodic variations in 6.7-GHz methanol masers

TL;DR

This study monitored 54 methanol maser sources over eight years, discovering six with periodic variability ranging from 133 to 504 days, exhibiting diverse waveforms and amplitude changes, with implications for understanding maser behavior.

Contribution

It is the first extensive long-term monitoring revealing periodicity in methanol masers and characterizing their diverse variability patterns.

Findings

Six sources show periodicity with periods from 133 to 504 days.

Variability waveforms range from sinusoidal to sharp flares.

Amplitude changes occur between cycles.

Abstract

An intensive monitoring program of 54 6.7-GHz methanol maser sources was carried out at the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory from January 1999 to April 2003. The monitoring program was subsequently continued on 19 sources of interest. Analysis of the resulting time-series stretching over eight years shows that six of the sources are periodic, with periods ranging from 133 days to 504 days. The waveforms in individual sources range from sinusoidal fluctuations to sharp flares and there can be other long term trends in the time-series. The amplitudes of the variations can also change from cycle to cycle. The time-series of the periodic masers will be presented, and possible causes of the variability discussed.