Exciting maser science with new instruments - The promise of the EVLA

Abstract

In the near future, the Expanded Very Large Array (EVLA) will allow surveys for maser sources with unprecedented sensitivity, spectral coverage and spectroscopic capabilities. In particular, comprehensive surveys for many maser species with simultaneous sensitive continuum imaging and absorption studies will give a comprehensive radio picture of star formation in the Galactic plane and elsewhere. Very efficient EVLA surveys for H2O megamasers in Active Galacic Nuclei will be possible to practically arbitrary redshifts.EVLA and Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) studies of H2O and SiO masers will serve as high resolution probes of the innermost envelopes of oxygen-rich evolved stars and HCN masers of carbon-rich stars.Farther in the future, the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) promises the detection of OH gigamasers at all conceivable redshifts and maser astrometry with unprecedented accuracy. © 2008 International Astronomical Union.