Search for Class I Methanol Maser Emission toward Several Supernova Remnants

Observations at 44 GHz in the 7(0)-6(1) A(+) methanol line have been carried out on the 20-m telescope of the Onsala Space Observatory (Sweden) in the directions of the poorly studied region G27.4-0.2 and of several supernova remnants, at the coordinates of the OH(1720) maser satellite emission, with the aim of searching for Class I methanol maser emission in these sources. The region G27.4-0.2 has been mapped, and contains maser sources and two supernova remnants with similar coordinates and radial velocities, which may accelerate condensation of the ambient gas-dust medium. This may play a role in enhancing the probability of methanol formation and maser emission. This is the first detection of 44 GHz maser emission in this source, and this maser is among the 10% of the strongest Class I methanol masers, within the uncertainties in the integrated flux (of a total of 198 currently known masers). A 27' x 27' region around the maser has been mapped at 44 GHz in steps of 1'. The 44-GHz emission forms only within the previously known maser region. Further studies in water lines are needed to estimate the influence of shocks from supernovae. No 44-GHz Class I methanol maser emission was detected at the 3 sigma level at the coordinates of the OH(1720) satellite emission in six supernova remnants; i.e., the presence of OH(1720) emission is not a sufficient condition for the detection of Class I methanol masers.