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Silicon‐monoxide masers show up in infrared stars

NOV 01, 1974

Radio telescopes, scanning the heavens at millimeter wavelengths, have detected maser emissions on several lines from vibrationally excited states of silicon monoxide. Until now, the only maser emissions from space have come from OH and H2O molecules, at centimeter wavelengths. The OH and H2O masers are located both in infrared stars and interstellar clouds, but the SiO masers have been seen only in the red giant variable stars. It is not surprising to find SiO in these regions, but it is puzzling to speculate about what processes in these stars might have sufficient energy to excite the vibrational states.

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