Analysis of Methanol Maser Flares in G107.298+5.63 andS255-NIRS3

TL;DR

This paper uses a 3D maser model to analyze high-amplitude maser flares, recovering cloud sizes and saturation parameters, and comparing results with interferometric measurements.

Contribution

It introduces a method to infer maser cloud properties and saturation states from light curves, validated against independent measurements.

Findings

Recovered maser cloud sizes match interferometric data.

Maser objects transition between weak and moderate saturation during flares.

Model successfully links light curve features to physical parameters.

Abstract

A 3D maser model has been used to perform an inverse problem on the light curves from three high-amplitude maser flares, selected on the basis of contemporaneous infra-red observations. Plots derived from the model recover the size of the maser cloud, and two parameters linked to saturation, from three observational properties of the light curve. Recovered sizes are consistent with independent interferometric measurements. Maser objects transition between weak and moderate saturation during a flare.