Water fountains (WFs) are thought to represent an early stage in the morphological evolution of circumstellar envelopes surrounding low- and intermediate-mass evolved stars. These objects are considered to transition from spherical to asymmetric shapes. Despite their potential importance in this transformation process of evolved stars, there are only a few known examples. To identify new WF candidates, we used databases of circumstellar OH (1612 MHz) and H2O (22.235 GHz) maser sources, and compared the velocity ranges of the two maser lines. Finally, 41 sources were found to have a velocity range for the H2O maser line that exceeded that of the OH maser line. Excluding known planetary nebulae and after reviewing the maser spectra in the original literature, we found for 11 sources the exceedance as significant, qualifying them as new WF candidates.

HINOTORI (Hybrid Integration Project in Nobeyama, Triple-band Oriented) has constructed a higher sensitivity 22/43 GHz and a 22/43/86 GHz simultaneous observation systems in the Nobeyama 45-m telescope by introducing new frequency separation filters in the telescope’s quasi-optics. The performance of the observation systems, such as the beam squint, the aperture efficiency, the system noise temperature when inserting the filters, and the phase stability of the signal path have been evaluated. It is indicated that the established systems have sufficient performance for single-dish and VLBI observations. The single-dish observation demonstrations using the triple-band system were successfully conducted in acquiring scientific data including multiple maser lines.

We present new results from a 3D modelling code for maser flares which provides the user with control over the physical conditions; maser cloud geometry and orientation; and fast runtime via parallelisation. The statistics of simulated observables suggest that achievable amplification may be dependent on viewpoints of the source and that a randomly placed observer is likely to detect an unremarkable blue- or red-shifted maser unless the line-of-sight direction is optimal for maser amplification. A preliminary model of masers towards π1 Gru based on SPH simulations also shows promising consistency with ALMA observations of high-j SiO transitions from the source.

We highlight a few results from ALMA Band 6 observations of high-rotational transition number (J) SiO masers towards oxygen-rich AGB and red supergiant stars carried out as part of the ATOMIUM Large Programme in 2018–2020. A search for a relationship between mass-loss rates and flux-weighted mean angular distances of maser components was inconclusive, as linear regression models for the 28SiO v=1 J =5–4 and J =6–5 transitions were inconsistent. Supplementary APEX observations towards the ATOMIUM AGB stars also suggest variability at different stellar pulsation phases.

We compare detailed observations of multiple H2O maser transitions around the red supergiant star VY CMa with models to constrain the physical conditions in the complex outflows. The temperature profile is consistent with a variable mass loss rate but the masers are mostly concentrated in dense clumps. High-excitation lines trace localised outflows near the star.

OH/IR stars are low- to intermediate-mass stars (about 0.5-8 solar masses) in the AGB phase, and are considered to be in the process of evolving from Mira variables to planetary nebulae. We aim to understand the evolutionary stages of these AGB stars by approaching them from astrometric VLBI observations with VERA. In 2017, we have started VLBI observations of several OH/IR stars including OH39.7+1.5 presented in this poster. We observed the H2O maser of OH39.7+1.5 and obtained an annual parallax of 0.55 ± 0.03 mas (distance D = 1.81 ± 0.12 kpc). Using this annual parallax, we revealed distribution (about 35 au square), internal motions, and expansion velocities (average about 15.4 ± 5.1 km s-1) of the maser spots. We compared expansion velocity of H2O maser with that of OH maser and found to be consistent across the error range. This suggests that the radial velocity of H2O gas around OH39.7+1.5 has reached a terminal velocity. OH39.7+1.5 has not data on annual parallax or proper motion in Gaia DR3, and this is the first time that annual parallax has been measured.

We discuss the role that coherence phenomena can have on the intensity variability of spectral lines associated with maser radiation. We do so by introducing the fundamental cooperative radiation phenomenon of (Dicke’s) superradiance and discuss its complementary nature to the maser action, as well as its role in the flaring behaviour of some maser sources. We will consider examples of observational diagnostics that can help discriminate between the two, and identify superradiance as the source of the latter. More precisely, we show how superradiance readily accounts for the different time-scales observed in the multi-wavelength monitoring of the periodic flaring in G9.62+0.20E.

Maser effects occur in recombination lines when the plasma departs from local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). Its consequence is not as dramatic as that found in molecular masers, and therefore it is more difficult to recognize. Besides, it occurs in compact high density regions, and its lines fall at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths, only recently available with good angular resolution. This review will focus on the theoretical aspects of maser recombination lines and on the recent detection of these masers in different astronomical objects.

We briefly consider the history of maser variability, and of flaring variability specifically. We consider six proposed flare generation mechanisms, and model them computationally with codes that include saturation and 3-D structure (the last mechanism is modelled in 1-D). Fits to observational light curves have been made for some sources, and we suggest that a small number of observational parameters can diagnose the flare mechanism in many cases. The strongest flares arise from mechanisms that can increase the number density of inverted molecules in addition to by geometrical effects, and in events where unsaturated quiescent masers become saturated during the flare.

Maser polarization observations have been successfully used to characterize magnetic fields towards a variety of astrophysical objects. Circular polarization yields the magnetic field strength of the maser source, and linear polarization yields information on the magnetic field morphology. Linear polarization can be produced when the maser saturates or through its anisotropic pumping. We present a comprehensive model of the polarization of masers. In contrast to regular excitation modeling, we relax the assumption of isotropically populated level populations, and model both the total population and level alignments. Through this approach, we obtain quantitative estimates on the anisotropic pumping of a variety of maser sources. In this way, the maser polarization may be related to the gas density, temperature, geometry and the magnetic field. Using the results of our modeling, we discuss, and give predictions, of the polarization of SiO, methanol, and water (mega)masers.

Maser polarization changes during a pulsation in the CSE of an AGB star are related in a complicated way to the magnetic field structure. 43 GHz SiO maser transitions are useful for polarization study because of their relatively simple Zeeman splitting structure and their location. This work uses 3D maser simulation to investigate the effect of the magnetic field on maser polarization with different directions. The results show that linear polarization depends on the magnetic direction while circular polarization is less significant. The EVPA changes through π/2 at an angle of around 50 degrees, approximately the Van Vleck angle. The EVPA rotation result from 3D maser simulation is consistent with results from 1D simulations, and may explain the 90 degree change of the EVPA within a single cloud in the observational cases of TX Cam and R Cas.

The Maser Monitoring Organisation is a collection of researchers exploring the use of time-variable maser emission in the investigation of astrophysical phenomena. The forward directed aspects of research primarily involve using maser emission as a tool to investigate star formation. Simultaneously, these activities have deepened knowledge of maser emission itself in addition to uncovering previously unknown maser transitions. Thus a feedback loop is created where both the knowledge of astrophysical phenomena and the utilised tools of investigation themselves are iteratively sharpened. The project goals are open-ended and constantly evolving, however, the reliance on radio observatory maser monitoring campaigns persists as the fundamental enabler of research activities within the group.

The African VLBI Network (AVN) is slowly becoming a reality. A couple of successful fringe test observations have been conducted even as single-dish maser monitoring observations constitute the main activity on the telescopes (HartRAO 26 m and Ghana 32 m). Some of the recent observational results from the AVN telescopes includes detection of velocity drifts in masers. Although MeerKAT is largely designed for high sensitivity continuum and HI science, its bands cover some masers and is already making impressive discoveries. The need to grow the critical mass of radio astronomers in the African continent persists. The NWU 4-dish interferometer, the Nigeria 3.7 m radio telescope and the African Millimeter Telescope (AMT) are some of the initiatives that will significantly improve the statistics of radio astronomers in Africa.

Many astrophysical phenomena can only be studied in detail for objects in our galaxy, the Milly Way, but we know much more about the structure of thousands of nearby galaxies than we do about our own Galaxy. Accurate distance measurements in the Milky Way underpin our ability to understand a wide range of astrophysical phenomena and this requires observations from both the northern and southern hemisphere. Our ability to measure accurate parallaxes to southern masers has been hampered a range of factors, in particular the absence of a dedicated, homogeneous VLBI array in the south. We have recently made significant advances in astrometric calibration techniques which allow us to achieve trigonometric parallax accuracies of around 10 micro-arcseconds (μas) for 6.7 GHz methanol masers with a hetrogeneous array of 4 antennas. We outline the details of this new “multiview” technique and present the first trigonometric parallax measurements that utilise this approach.

National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (Public Organization) initiated a national flagship project in 2017 for development of radio astronomy and geodesy in Thailand. In this project, a 40-m Thai National Radio Telescope (TNRT) and a 13-m VLBI Global Observing System (VGOS) radio telescope as its co-location are constructed in Chiang Mai. The 40-m TNRT is the largest telescope for radio astronomy in South-East Asia. Its flexible operation with a wide-coverage of observable frequencies 0.3-115 GHz will allow us to uniquely contribute to the time-domain astronomy as well as carry out unbiased surveys for a wide variety of science research fields, which were published in a white paper. Within the framework of collaboration with VLBI arrays in the world, TNRT will drastically improve the imaging quality and performances based on its unique geographical location, for both radio astronomy and geodetic VLBI studies in South-East Asia for the first time. On-going commissioning of TNRT particularly in the L-band system (1.0–1.8 GHz) is introduced as well as vision for establishment of forthcoming regional VLBI networks based on TNRT: Thai National VLBI Array and South-East Asian VLBI Network in collaboration with Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

The ALMA Project is embarking on a partner-wide initiative to at least double, and ultimately quadruple the correlated bandwidth of ALMA by @2030. This initiative is called the ALMA Wideband Sensitivity Upgrade (WSU). In this contribution, I briefly describe the main aspects of the upgrade and status. Then I provide several examples of how the WSU will enhance (sub)millimeter maser science by affording the ability to observe more diagnostic maser transitions (and thermal lines) with a single observation.

Imaging the bright maser emission produced by the various molecular species from 1.6 to 116 GHz provides a way to probe the kinematics of dense molecular gas at high angular resolution. Unimpeded by the high dust optical depths that affect shorter wavelength (sub)mm observations, the high brightness temperature of these emission lines have become an essential tool for understanding the process of massive star formation. Operating from 1.2–116 GHz, the next generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) of 263 antennas will provide the capabilities needed to fully exploit these powerful tracers, including the ability to resolve accretion and outflow motions down to scales as fine as ∼1-10 au in deeply embedded Galactic star-forming regions, and at sub-pc scales in nearby galaxies. I will summarize the proposed specifications of the ngVLA, describe the current status of the project, and offer examples of future experiments designed to image the vicinity of massive protostars in continuum, thermal lines, and maser lines simultaneously.

The Galactic ASKAP survey of OH (GASKAP-OH) is surveying the Milky Way Fourth Quadrant, the Galactic Centre, the Galactic Bulge and the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) in the 18-cm ground-state lines of the hydroxyl radical (OH), using Australia’s Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) telescope. With an expected per-channel rms sensitivity of 36 mJy/beam in its shallowest regions, and a velocity channel width of 0.1 km s-1, GASKAP-OH is expected to discover hundreds of new star-formation and evolved star OH masers, as well as extensive absorption from quasi-thermal OH throughout the Galactic Plane. We here summarise the science goals and technical specifications of the survey, and report initial detection results from test observations. GASKAP-OH is expected to run for several years and is an open collaboration. Data products will be made available to the wider community as soon as they are verified.

The 64-dish MeerKAT telescope was inaugurated in 2018 and has been conducting regular science operations since then. In the meantime, new observation modes have been under development. Spectral line modes are available, as well as L-, UHF- and S-band receivers. MeerKAT’s excellent sensitivity over a wide range of angular scales makes it an excellent choice for studies of HII regions, supernova remnants and planetary nebulae. In addition, an OH megamaser has been detected at z > 0.5 for the first time.

LLAMA (Large Latin America Millimeter/submillimeter Array) is a new radio observatory that is being constructed in a collaboration between Argentina and Brazil. It will consist of a 12 meters diameter antenna that is being installed in Alto Chorrillos at 4850 m of altitude, in the Salta province of Argentina. Alto Chorrillos is a high-quality astronomical site similar to Chajnantor (Chile), where ALMA observatory operates. When completed, LLAMA will allow line, continuum and linear polarization observations between 35 and 700 GHz, approximately. For the first light, LLAMA will be equipped with ALMA-like receivers at bands 5 (163 - 211 GHz), 6 (211 - 275 GHz) and 9 (602 - 720 GHz). LLAMA is being planned to be a versatile astronomical facility that will serve the scientific community for the exploration of scientific topics as diverse as the molecular evolution of the Universe, black holes and their accretion disks, astrophysical jets, stellar formation and evolution, the structure of our galaxy and the Sun, planetary atmospheres and extragalactic astronomy. In this work, I will present the LLAMA project and the perspectives for this new astronomical facility in the context of the investigation of galactic and extragalactic masers.