Evidence for coupling of evolved star atmospheres and spiral arms of the Milky Way

Abstract

It is imperative to map the strength and distribution of feedback in galaxies to understand how feedback affects galactic ecosystems. H₂O masers act as indicators of energy injection into the interstellar medium. Our goal is to measure the strength and distribution of feedback traced by water masers in the Milky Way. We identify optical counterparts to H₂O masers discovered by the HOPS survey. The distribution and luminosities of H₂O masers in the Milky Way are determined using parallax measurements derived from the second Gaia Data Release. We provide evidence of a correlation between evolved stars, as traced by H₂O masers, and the spiral structure of the Milky Way, suggesting a link between evolved stars and the Galactic environment.