DETERMINATION OF MOLECULAR CLOUD PARAMETERS USING THERMAL METHANOL LINES

The 2(K) - 1(K) thermal methanol lines near 96 GHz were detected towar d 12 regions of massive star formation. Together with the J(0) - J(-1) E lines observed previously, they were used to determine temperature, density, methanol abundance, and some other parameters of interest. T wo methods were used to determine the same set of parameters: a simpli fied analytical method and statistical equilibrium calculations; the r esults are in satisfactory agreement with each other. The source kinet ic temperatures are in the range 15-50 K, densities in the range 0.3-5 x 10(6) cm(-3), and methanol abundance in the range 4 x 10(-10) - 1.7 x 10(-7). Broad wings indicating high-velocity motions were detected toward a number of sources.