| Two independent, largely overlapping 1612 MHz data sets were searched for OH/IR stars in the Galactic center. One set, taken with the Very Large Array in the period 1988 to 1991, consists of 17 epochs monitoring data of \cite[Van Langevelde et al. (1993)]{van93}. The other set was observed in 1994, using the Australia Telescope Compact Array. This article describes the data reduction procedures as well as a different way of searching image cubes for narrow line sources, and lists a total of 155 double peak OH maser detections within 18arcmin or 40 projected parsecs of Sagittarius A*, the compact radio continuum source in the Galactic nucleus. Presented are 65 formerly unseen double peaked 1612 MHz emitters, of which 52 are OH/IR stars. Also given are 3 single peak sources, which we believe to be masers of OH/IR stars. Apart from being less bright in their 1612 MHz OH maser line, the previously unknown OH/IR stars do not seem to be different from the previously known population of OH/IR stars in the Galactic center. We find that the OH/IR star OH maser luminosity distribution peaks at L_OH~ 10(43.4) photons per second. Further physical and kinematical analysis of the new sample will be presented in additional papers. Tables 2 and 3 are also available in electronic form at CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5), or via the WWW at http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html. Figures 4 and 5 are only published electronically and obtainable from http://www.edpsciences.com |
Comments:
Sources labeled MC(?) were removed. The non-detections are previous known masers covered by the survey and are discussed in the text.
Velocity resolution: 1.14, 1.45 and 2.27 km/s
Upper limit for non-detections: <0.3 Jy (3σ)
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