Monitor variability of millimeter lines in IRC +10216

TL;DR

This study monitors millimeter maser lines in IRC+10216, revealing significant line strength and shape variations linked to the star's IR light cycle, likely originating from the wind acceleration zone.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed single-dish monitoring of SiS and HCN maser lines in IRC+10216, connecting line variability to stellar wind dynamics and internal processes.

Findings

Line strength varies by 5-30% among features.

Line shape changes are velocity-dependent and linked to IR variability.

Variations suggest emission from the wind acceleration zone.

Abstract

A single dish monitoring of millimeter maser lines SiS J=14-13 and HCN nu_2 = 1^f J=3-2 and several other rotational lines is reported for the archetypal carbon star IRC+10216. Relative line strength variations of 5%~30% are found for eight molecular line features with respect to selected reference lines. Definite line-shape variation is found in limited velocity intervals of the SiS and HCN line profiles. The asymmetrical line profiles of the two lines are mainly due to the varying components. Their dominant varying components of the line profiles have similar periods and phases as the IR light variation, although both quantities show some degree of velocity dependence; there is also variability asymmetry between the blue and red line wings of both lines. Combining the velocities and amplitudes with a wind velocity model, we suggest that the line profile variations are due to SiS and HCN masing lines emanating from the wind acceleration zone. The possible link of the variabilities to thermal, dynamical and/or chemical processes within or under this region is also discussed.