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   52161
   We propose to study with ASCA a complete sample of 15 water vapor
   megamasers in active galaxies. Eleven of these objects have already
   been observed or are scheduled for observation with ASCA, and
   observations of the remaining 4 (plus one gigamaser not in the complete
   sample) are requested here. The goals are to a) check whether the maser
   luminosities are related to the hard X-ray luminosities, as predicted
   by recent theoretical work, b) investigate whether the absorbing
   columns are fully accounted for by material in the accretion disks, c)
   determine whether galaxies with water vapor megamasers have larger
   column densities than those without, and d) estimate mass accretion
   rates and Eddington ratios. Data from a program of ongoing radio
   observations will be included in the analysis.
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