S[CLC]i[/CLC]O Maser Forest at the Galactic Center

Abstract

A moderately deep survey of stellar maser sources toward the Galactic center has been made in the SiO J=1-0, v=1 and v=2 transitions (~43 GHz) with the Nobeyama 45 m telescope with a beam size of about 40''. At the Galactic center (Sgr A*), seven (four new) SiO maser sources were detected in one beam. In order to investigate the spatial distribution of SiO maser sources, we have also observed the offset positions by ?40'' in Galactic longitude from the Galactic center. In total, seven (four new) SiO maser sources were detected at the offset positions. Taking into account the shorter integration time at the offset positions, we find that the surface number density of SiO maser sources is nearly constant at the Galactic center. The number density of SiO maser sources is found to be an order of magnitude higher than the density of OH 1612 MHz objects. A radial velocity gradient in Galactic longitude was not detected. These facts indicate that the SiO maser sources seen toward the Galactic center are mostly associated with the stellar population of a Galactic stellar nuclear disk of more than a few arcminute radius.