Astronomical Masers

• 1: Introduction.- 2: Basic Background Concepts.- 2.1. Thermodynamic Equilibrium and Detailed Balance.- 2.2. Thermal Motions and Collisions.- 2.3. Radiation — Generalities.- 2.4. Interaction Between Matter and Line Radiation.- 2.5. The Two-Level Model.- 2.6. The Escape Probability Method.- 2.7. The Level Population Equations.- 3: Astronomical Maser Radiation.- 3.1. The Maser Molecules.- 3.2. Evidence for Maser Action.- 3.3. Characteristics of the Radiation.- 4: Maser Theory.- 4.1. Formal Background †.- 4.2. Phenomenological Maser Theory.- 4.3. The Linear Maser.- 4.4. Background Radiation (I).- 4.5. Maser Linewidths.- 5: Effects of Geometry.- 5.1. Beaming.- 5.2. General Properties of Saturated Masers.- 5.3. Maser Escape Probability †.- 5.4. Spherical Masers.- 5.5. Filamentary Masers.- 5.6. Comparison of Different Geometries.- 5.7. Background Radiation (II).- 6: Polarization.- 6.1. Generalities.- 6.2. Stokes Parameters.- 6.3. Polarization in a Magnetic Field.- 6.4. Level Populations and Radiative Transfer.- 6.5. Fully Resolved Zeeman Pattern: g?B » ?.- 6.6. Overlapping Zeeman Components: g?B « ?.- 6.7. Polarization Filters.- 6.8. Faraday Rotation †.- 6.9. Comparison with Observations.- 7: Pumping.- 7.1. General Considerations.- 7.2. Radiative Pumps.- 7.3. Collisional Pumps.- 7.4. Chemical Pumps.- 7.5. Geometric Considerations.- 8: The Environments of Astronomical Masers.- 8.1. Interstellar Clouds.- 8.2. Maser Chemistry.- 8.3. Star-Forming Regions; H ii Regions.- 8.4. Late-Type Stars.- 8.5. The Geometry of Astronomical Masers.- 8.6. Saturation in Astronomical Masers.- 9: OH Masers.- 9.1. Satellite-Line Inversions.- 9.2. OH Masers in Late-Type Stars.- 9.3. H ii/OH Regions.- 9.4. Excited OH.- 9.5. Polarization.- 9.6. Comets.- 10: H2O Masers.- 10.1. BasicInversion — the Backbone.- 10.2. H2O Masers in Late-Type Stars.- 10.3. H2O Masers in Star-Forming Regions.- 10.4. Submillimeter H2O Masers.- 11: SiO Masers.- 11.1. Basic Inversion Considerations.- 11.2. SiO Masers in Late-Type Stars.- 11.3. Pumping Mechanisms.- 11.4. The Orion SiO Maser.- 12: Other Masers.- 12.1. Methanol (CH3OH).- 12.2. Ammonia (NH3).- 13: Extragalactic Masers.- 13.1. OH.- 13.2. H2O.- 14: Masers as Astronomical Tools.- 14.1. Distance Measurements.- 14.2. Galactic Properties.- 14.3. Interstellar Scattering.- 14.4. Circumstellar Disk Structure.- 14.5. Evolutionary Schemes for Late-Type Stars.- 15: Epilogue.- Appendix A: Beaming in Filamentary Masers †.- Appendix: Maser Properties in Different Geometries.- References.

' The book is an essential purchase for workers in the field, and will also interest other astrophysicists and researchers in related areas of physics. ' Nature Volume 357 'The book is both well written and thorough, and the paperback edition is reasonably good value, given the somewhat specialized subject area. I'd advise anyone working in the field to buy themselves a copy.' The Observatory 113:1112 1993