High-Mass Star Formation in the Near and Far 3-KPC Arms

Abstract

We report on the presence of 6.7-GHz methanol masers, known tracers of high-mass star formation, in the 3-kpc arms of the inner Galaxy. We present 49 detections from the Methanol Multibeam Survey, the largest Galactic plane survey for 6.7-GHz methanol masers, which coincide in longitude, latitude and velocity with the recently discovered far-side 3-kpc arm and the well known near-side 3-kpc arm. The presence of these masers is significant evidence for high-mass star formation actively occurring in both 3-kpc arms.

6 pages, 3 figures, published in ApJ letters 696, L156-158