A different type of maser star

A systematic survey of short-period, semiregular variable stars has been made resulting in the detection of six new water masers. Of the 14 short-period maser stars now known, nine are classified as SRb variables. All are very late spectral type SRb's, typically M7, while the overwhelming majority of normal SRb stars is M4 to M6. Their 2.2-11 micron color indices are among the lowest of any known maser stars. They are presumably less dusty as well. Four of the SRb stars and two of the remainder do not obey the correlation between period and velocity spread of the emission features that is found for the Mira and long-period, semiregular variables. Finally, high galactic latitudes dominate; 13 of the 14 are in excess of 13 deg, and nine of these are greater than 25 deg. These facts suggest that the short-period semiregular variables - particularly in SRb stars - may be a very different type of maser star than the Mira and long-period semiregular variables.