Database of molecular masers and variable stars

Abstract

We present the database of maser sources in H2O, OH and SiO lines that can be used to identify and study variable stars at evolved stages. Detecting the maser emission in H2O, OH and SiO molecules toward infrared-excess objects is one of the methods for identifing long-period variables (LPVs, including miras and semiregulars), because these stars exhibit maser activity in their circumstellar shells. Our sample contains 1803 known LPV objects. Forty-six percent of these stars (832 objects) manifest maser emission in the line of at least one molecule: H2O, OH or SiO. We use the database of circumstellar masers in order to search for LPVs which are not included in the General Catalogue of Variable Stars (GCVS). Our database contains 4806 objects (3866 objects without associations in GCVS) with maser detection in at least one molecule. Therefore it is possible to use the database in order to locate and study the large sample of LPV stars. The database can be accessed at http://maserdb.net.