[Previous] | [Session 76] | [Next]
V. Strelnitski (Maria Mitchell Obs.), J. Weirich (U. of Missouri at Rolla & Maria Mitchell Obs.)
Variations of the masing hydrogen recombination lines on various times scales from a few months to a few weeks have previously been observed in the peculiar emission line star MWC349. In order to detect shorter term variability, we observed the star with the Kitt Peak 12-meter radio telescope in the masing H35\alpha line for three sessions of a few days each. At least one session demonstrates day-to-day variations of the intensities, radial velocities, and widths of both the narrow and broad spectral components exceeding the typical errors. We explain the observed variations in terms of the current model of the source --- inhomogeneous circumstellar disk and bipolar outflow ionized by a variable central source of ultraviolet radiation. The authors thank Dr. John P. Schaefer and the Research Corporation for providing the funding to keep the Kitt Peak 12-meter telescope operational so that this project could be completed. This project was supported by the NSF/REU grant AST-9820555 and the Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: vladimir@mmo.org