Discovery of periodic methanol masers associated with G323.46−0.08

Abstract

The 6.7 GHz methanol masers associated with G323.46−0.08 have undergone significant change since their discovery in 1992. After 2009 April, new features with a peak flux density of ∼500 Jy in the velocity channel v = −68.35 km s−1, in the velocity range from −71 to −68.5 kms−1 were detected. It is suggestive that it experienced an accretion event similar to that reported in S255-NIRS3 and NGC 6334I. Evidence of periodicity is found in all of the associated methanol masers with a period of ∼93.5 d. It is not possible to determine if this source was periodic before 2017. However, all the 6.7 GHz methanol masers are probably amplifying a common background periodic radio source.