1997A&A...321..311K

The 2_K-1_K thermal methanol lines near 96 GHz were detected toward 12 regions of massive star formation. Together with the J₀-J_–1E lines observed previously, they were used to determine temperature, density, methanol abundance, and some other parameters of interest. Two methods were used to determine the same set of parameters: a simplified analytical method and statistical equilibrium calculations; the results are in satisfactory agreement with each other. The source kinetic temperatures are in the range 15-50K, densities in the range 0.3-5x10⁶cm^–3, and methanol abundance in the range 4x10^–10-1.7x10^–7. Broad wings indicating high-velocity motions were detected toward a number of sources.