Database of Molecular Masers and Variable Stars

TL;DR

This paper introduces a comprehensive database of molecular masers associated with evolved variable stars, enabling identification and study of long-period variables beyond existing catalogs, with significant potential for astronomical research.

Contribution

The authors present a new, extensive database of maser sources in H2O, OH, and SiO lines, including many previously unlisted long-period variable stars, facilitating advanced studies in stellar evolution.

Findings

46% of known LPVs show maser emission in at least one molecule.

The database contains 4806 maser sources, with 3866 not in the GCVS.

The resource enables identification of long-period variables outside existing catalogs.

Abstract

We present the database of maser sources in H2O, OH and SiO lines that can be used to identify and study variable stars at evolved stages. Detecting the maser emission in H2O, OH and SiO molecules toward infrared-excess objects is one of the methods of identification long-period variables (LPVs, including Miras and Semi-Regular), because these stars exhibit maser activity in their circumstellar shells. Our sample contains 1803 known LPV objects. 46% of these stars (832 objects) manifest maser emission in the line of at least one molecule: H2O, OH or SiO. We use the database of circumstellar masers in order to search for long-periodic variables which are not included in the General Catalogue of Variable Stars (GCVS). Our database contains 4806 objects (3866 objects without associations in GCVS catalog) with maser detection in at least one molecule. Therefore it is possible to use the database in order to locate and study the large sample of long-period variable stars. Entry to the database at http://maserdb.net