A Correlation Between Water Maser Emission and the Visual Light Curve of RX Bootis

Volume 20 number 2 (1991)

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Jennifer Hedden

Whitin Observatory, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 02181

Priscilla J. Benson

Whitin Observatory, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 02181

Irene R. Little-Marenin

Whitin Observatory, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 02181

Robert R. Cadmus

Grinnell College Physics Departmen Grinnell, IA 50112

Abstract

We investigate the emission from the 22.2 GHz maser line of water, and compare it to the visual light curve for the semi-regular variable star RX Boo. There appears to be a correlation between the maser emission and light curve, however, the correlation is not as clear as for the regular Mira variables. The water emission appears over a broad velocity range, and separate features appear to react to the changing light with different time delays.