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| Paper: |
Maser Emission from Icy Exo-Planets |
| Volume: |
321, Extrasolar Planets: Today and Tomorrow |
| Page: |
221 |
| Authors: |
Slysh, V. |
| Abstract: |
A model of maser emission spots as icy planets or big comets which orbit young massive stars and protostars is proposed. The interstellar gas phase abundance of OH, methanol or water is much too low to produce maser emission from small gas clumps according to standard maser models. The interstellar grains consisting mainly of water ice and several per cent of methanol, can produce a favorable environment for the maser emission after evaporation. Big comets or planets covered by the water/methanol ice, orbiting young massive stars and protostars can be the sites of the maser emission. The ice evaporates from the surface under stellar radiation, and methanol molecules emit corresponding maser lines. OH molecules are produced by the dissociation of water. VLBI observations of masers show that prospective planets are found in disks, and move on Keplerian orbits around O-B stars. Extended envelopes of the icy planets provide molecular abundance, gas temperature and density adequate for the maser emission. |
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