Work

New observations of 95.2 GHz class I methanol maser in the G24 region: implications for star formation rate from the Milky Way to external galaxies

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT We report the detection of collisionally pumped 95.2 GHz ($J = 8_0$–$7_1$ A$^+$) class I methanol masers in the Galactic G24 region, which lies near the interface between the Galactic bar and a spiral arm – a location potentially affected by bar-driven shocks. Using the Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO) 13.7 m telescope, we carried out on-the-fly mapping and single-pointing observations, leading to the detection of 12 sources at 95.2 GHz, including one newly identified source toward the direction of G24. The G24-associated masers exhibit significantly higher luminosities than typical Galactic class I methanol masers, though still much fainter than extragalactic counterparts. A comparative analysis reveals a tight correlation between star formation rate and class I maser luminosity from the G24 region to the Galactic Centre and further to external galaxies, reinforcing the use of class I methanol masers as reliable tracers of star formation across diverse Galactic and extragalactic environments.

Source: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stag491