SPECTRAL AND ISOPHOTAL APPEARANCE OF 3-DIMENSIONAL PROTOSTELLAR MODELS

Emergent spectra and isophotes are presented for several different types of three-dimensional, low-mass, protostellar models. The protostellar models include single and binary protostellar clouds, and protostellar nebulae with and without dominant central protostars. The spectra and isophotes are derived from three-dimensional, frequency-dependent, ray-tracing calculations using the temperature distribution obtained from either diffusion or Eddington approximation radiative transfer calculations. As expected, the spectra show that the emission for these models peaks in the submillimeter range, with the spectra typically resembling those of 10 K blackbodies. Although their spectra may be similar, binary protostellar clouds can be distinguished from single protostellar clouds through their binary isophotal appearance, providing the beam size is sufficiently small and the viewing angle is favorable. Detection of binary protostellar systems should be enhanced for systems that are viewed close to pole-on. However, thin nebula may also have binary intensity maxima, possibly confusing the issue of true binary identification. The protostellar clouds considered here are far too faint to have been detected by IRAS (even at a distance of 100 pc), but they may be detectable (if not resolvable) by ISO or SIRTF in nearby star-forming regions.