DISCOVERY OF THE FIRST METHANOL (CH 3 OH) MASER IN THE ANDROMEDA GALAXY (M31)

Abstract

We present the first detection of a 6.7 GHz Class II methanol (CH3OH) maser in the Andromeda galaxy (M31). The CH3OH maser was found in a VLA survey during the fall of 2009. We have confirmed the methanol maser with the new EVLA, in operation since 2010 March, but were unsuccessful in detecting a water maser at this location. A direct application for this methanol maser is the determination of the proper motion of M31, such as was previously obtained with water masers in M33 and IC10. Unraveling the three-dimensional velocity of M31 would solve for the biggest unknown in the modeling of the dynamics and evolution of the Local Group of galaxies.