Published in

Cambridge University Press, Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, S287(8), p. 333-339, 2012

DOI: 10.1017/s1743921312007260

Cambridge University Press, Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, S242(3), p. 417-426, 2007

DOI: 10.1017/s1743921307013531

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Masers in Starburst Galaxies

Journal article published in 2007 by Jeremy Darling ORCID
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Preprint: archiving allowed
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Postprint: archiving forbidden
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Published version: archiving forbidden
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

AbstractMasers in starburst galaxies are outstanding probes of a range of phenomena related to galaxy and black hole evolution, and offer unique high brightness temperature illumination that can be used to probe small scales in the host galaxy and in our own. But we require a deeper understanding of the galaxy-scale maser phenomenon if we wish to employ starburst galaxy masers as probes using the next generation of radio telescopes. This review summarizes what is known about the different flavors of masers in starburst galaxies and the setting and structure of OH megamasers. The question of which galaxies produce megamasers and which do not is critical to our understanding of the megamaser phenomenon, and recent studies of HCN and H2CO are particularly instructive. Constraints on the lifetime of OH megamasers and the predictability of OH megamaser line properties are critical issues to address in the near future. It is also time to begin the next wave of OH megamaser surveys at higher redshifts and to finally employ them as probes of starbursts, massive black holes, galaxy evolution, and intervening media.