Single Power-law Model Research Articles

Stochastic TEC Structure Characterization

AbstractThe global navigation satellite systems provide high‐quality total electron content (TEC) measurements that are used routinely for ionospheric diagnostics. Large‐scale TEC structure is a critical input for maintaining global ionospheric models. However, residual stochastic TEC structure is typically discarded as a phase‐scintillation‐induced error. In this paper we show that the phase‐scintillation errors are a negligibly small fraction of the stochastic TEC component for most global navigation satellite system operating conditions. With three‐frequency GPS satellite measurements, two independent TEC measurements can be compared to bound the scintillation‐induced errors. Data analysis and simulations show that scintillation‐induced errors are a small fraction of one TEC unit as long as the lower contributing frequency S4 index is less than 0.5. To the extent that scintillation‐induced errors are negligible, spectral analysis of stochastic TEC provides a direct measure of path‐integrated structure. Irregularity parameter estimation can be used to estimate power law parameters, which in turn can be interpreted with a new global ionospheric structure model. We present a summary analysis of month‐long series of continuous measurements at Poker Flat, Alaska. The analysis confirms the generally accepted single power law model for high‐latitude structure. A small fraction of the measurements indicate an outer‐scale transition at approximately 17 km. The general pattern of the structure occurrence is consistent with auroral‐zone activity.

XMM-Newton Detection and Spectrum of the Second Fastest Spinning Pulsar PSR J0952−0607

Abstract With a spin frequency of 707 Hz, PSR J0952−0607 is the second fastest spinning pulsar known. It was discovered in radio by LOFAR in 2017 at an estimated distance of either 0.97 or 1.74 kpc and has a low-mass companion with a 6.42 hr orbital period. We report the discovery of the X-ray counterpart of PSR J0952−0607 using XMM-Newton. The X-ray spectra can be well-fit by a single power law (PL) model (Γ ≈ 2.5) or by a thermal plus PL model ( and Γ ≈ 1.4). We do not detect evidence of variability, such as that due to orbital modulation from pulsar wind and companion star interaction. Because of its fast spin rate, PSR J0952−0607 is a crucial source for understanding the r-mode instability, which can be an effective mechanism for producing gravitational waves. Using the high end of our measured surface temperature, we infer a neutron star core temperature of ∼107 K, which places PSR J0952−0607 within the window for the r-mode to be unstable unless an effect such as superfluid mutual friction damps the fluid oscillation. The measured luminosity limits the dimensionless r-mode amplitude to be less than ∼1 × 10−9.

SDSS J075101.42+291419.1: A Super-Eddington Accreting Quasar with Extreme X-Ray Variability

Abstract We report the discovery of extreme X-ray variability in a type 1 quasar: SDSS J075101.42+291419.1. It has a black hole (BH) mass of 1.6 × 107 M ⊙ measured from reverberation mapping, and the BH is accreting with a super-Eddington accretion rate. Its XMM-Newton observation in 2015 May reveals a flux drop by a factor of ∼22 with respect to the Swift observation in 2013 May when it showed a typical level of X-ray emission relative to its UV/optical emission. The lack of correlated UV variability results in a steep X-ray-to-optical power-law slope (α OX) of −1.97 in the low X-ray flux state, corresponding to an X-ray weakness factor of 36.2 at rest-frame 2 keV relative to its UV/optical luminosity. The mild UV/optical continuum and emission-line variability also suggest that the accretion rate did not change significantly. A single power-law model modified by Galactic absorption describes the 0.3–10 keV spectra of the X-ray observations well in general. The spectral fitting reveals steep spectral shapes with Γ ≈ 3. We search for active galactic nuclei (AGNs) with such extreme X-ray variability in the literature and find that most of them are narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies and quasars with high accretion rates. The fraction of extremely X-ray variable objects among super-Eddington accreting AGNs is estimated to be ≈15%–24%. We discuss two possible scenarios, disk reflection and partial covering absorption, to explain the extreme X-ray variability of SDSS J075101.42+291419.1. We propose a possible origin for the partial covering absorber, which is the thick inner accretion disk and its associated outflow in AGNs with high accretion rates.

Swift, NuStar and XMM-Newton observations of the NLS1 galaxy RX J2317.8–4422 in an extreme X-ray low flux state

We report the discovery of RX J2317.8-4422 in an extremely low X-ray flux state by the Neil Gehrels Swift observatory in 2014 April/May. In total, the low-energy X-ray emission dropped by a factor 100. We have carried out multi-wavelength follow-up observations of this Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxy. Here we present observations with Swift, XMM-Newton, and NuSTAR in October and November 2014 and further monitoring observations by Swift from 2015 to 2018. Compared with the beginning of the Swift observations in 2005, in the November 2014 XMM and NuSTAR observation RX J2317--4422.8 dropped by a factor of about 80 in the 0.3-10 keV band. While the high-state Swift observations can be interpreted by a partial covering absorption model with a moderate absorption column density of $N_H=5.4\times 10^{22}$ cm$^{-2}$ or blurred reflection, due to dominating background at energies above 2 keV the low-state XMM data can not distinguish between different multi-component models and were adequately fit with a single power-law model. We discuss various scenarios like a long-term change of the accretion rate or absorption as the cause for the strong variability seen in RX J2317.8--4422.

X-ray spectral variability of ultraluminous X-ray sources in extragalactic globular clusters

A number of ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) are physically associated with extragalactic globular clusters (GCs). We undertake a systematic X-ray analysis of eight of the brightest of these sources. We fit the spectra of the GC ULXs to single power law and single disk models. We find that the data never require that any of the sources change between a disk and a power law across successive observations. The GC ULXs best fit by a single disk show a bimodal distribution: they either have temperatures well below 0.5 keV, or variable temperatures ranging above 0.5 keV up to 2~keV. The GC ULXs with low kT have significant changes in luminosity but show little or no change in kT. By contrast, the sources with higher kT either change in both kT and $L_X$ together, or show no significant change in either parameter. Notably, the X-ray characteristics may be related to the optical properties of these ULXs, with the two lowest kT sources showing optical emission lines.

ALMA, ATCA, and Spitzer Observations of the Luminous Extragalactic Supernova SN 1978K

Abstract Only three extragalactic supernovae have been detected at late times at millimeter wavelengths: SN 1987A, SN 1978K, and SN 1996cr. SN 1978K is a remarkably luminous Type IIn supernova that remains bright at all wavelengths 40 years after its explosion. Here, we present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations taken in 2016 using Bands 3, 4, 6, and 7 that show a steepening in the spectrum. An absorbed single power-law model broadly fits all of the radio and millimeter observations, but would require significant chromatic variability. Alternatively, a broken power law fits the radio-millimeter spectrum; this can be explained using an ultra-relativistic spherical blast wave in a wind scaling with a cooling break, as in a gamma-ray burst afterglow. Using updated Australia Telescope Compact Array light curves, we show that the non-thermal radio continuum continues to decay as t −1.53; in the fireball model, this independently defines the power-law indices found in the radio-millimeter spectrum. Supernovae such as SN 1978K might be important contributors to the universal dust budget: only SN 1978K was detected in a search for warm dust in supernovae in the transitional phase (age 10–100 yr). Using Spitzer Space Telescope observations, we show that at least some of this dust emission has been decaying rapidly as t −2.45 over the past decade, suggesting it is being destroyed. Depending on the modeling of the synchrotron emission, the ALMA observations suggest there may be emission from a cold dust component.

Hard X-ray properties of NuSTAR blazars

Context. Investigation of the hard X-ray emission properties of blazars is key to the understanding of the central engine of the sources and associated jet process. In particular, simultaneous spectral and timing analyses of the intraday hard X-ray observations provide us a means to peer into the compact innermost blazar regions that are not accessible to our current instruments. Aims. The primary objective of the work is to associate the observed hard X-ray variability properties in blazars with their flux and spectral states, thereby, based on the correlation among these states, extract the details about the emission regions and processes occurring near the central engine. Methods. We carried out timing, spectral, and cross-correlation analysis of 31 NuSTAR observations of 13 blazars. We investigated the spectral shapes of the sources using single power-law, broken power-law, and log-parabola models. We also studied the co-relation between the soft and hard emission using z-transformed discrete correlation function. In addition, we attempted to constrain the smallest emission regions using minimum variability timescales derived from the light curves. Results. We found that, for most of the sources, the hard X-ray emission can be well represented by the log-parabola model and that the spectral slopes for different blazar subclasses are consistent with the so-called blazar sequence. We also report the steepest spectra (Γ ∼ 3) in the BL Lacertae PKS 2155–304 and the hardest spectra (Γ ∼ 1.4) in the flat-spectrum radio quasar PKS 2149–306. In addition, we noted a close connection between the flux and spectral slope within the source subclass in the sense that high flux and/or flux states tend to be harder in spectra. In BL Lacertae objects, assuming particle acceleration by diffusive shocks and synchrotron cooling as the dominant processes governing the observed flux variability, we constrain the magnetic field of the emission region to be a few Gauss; whereas in flat-spectrum radio quasars, using external Compton models, we estimate the energy of the lower end of the injected electrons to be a few Lorentz factors.

Extreme quiescent variability of the transient neutron star low-mass X-ray binary EXO 1745−248 in Terzan 5

EXO 1745-248 is a transient neutron-star low-mass X-ray binary that resides in the globular cluster Terzan 5. We studied the transient during its quiescent state using 18 Chandra observations of the cluster acquired between 2003 and 2016. We found an extremely variable source, with a luminosity variation in the 0.5-10 keV energy range of $\sim3$ orders of magnitude (between $3\times10^{31}$ erg s$^{-1}$ and $2\times10^{34}$ erg s$^{-1}$) on timescales from years down to only a few days. Using an absorbed power-law model to fit its quiescent spectra, we obtained a typical photon index of $\sim1.4$, indicating that the source is even harder than during outburst and much harder than typical quiescent neutron stars if their quiescent X-ray spectra are also described by a single power-law model. This indicates that EXO 1745-248 is very hard throughout the entire observed X-ray luminosity range. At the highest luminosity, the spectrum fits better when an additional (soft) component is added to the model. All these quiescent properties are likely related to strong variability in the low-level accretion rate in the system. However, its extreme variable behavior is strikingly different from the one observed for other neutron star transients that are thought to still accrete in quiescence. We compare our results to these systems. We also discuss similarities and differences between our target and the transitional millisecond pulsar IGR J18245-2452, which also has hard spectra and strong variability during quiescence.

The 500 ks Chandra observation of the z = 6.31 QSO SDSS J1030 + 0524

We present the results from a ~ 500 ks Chandra observation of the z = 6.31 QSO SDSS J1030 + 0524. This is the deepest X-ray observation to date of a z ~ 6 QSO. The QSO is detected with a total of 125 net counts in the full (0.500A0–7 keV) band and its spectrum can be modeled by a single power-law model with photon index of Γ = 1.81 ± 0.18 and full band flux of f = 3.95 × 10−15 erg s−1 cm−2. When compared with the data obtained by XMM-Newton in 2003, our Chandra observation in 2017 shows a harder (ΔΓ ≈ −0.6) spectrum and a 2.5 times fainter flux. Such a variation, in a timespan of ~ 2 yr rest-frame, is unexpected for such a luminous QSO powered by a > 109M⨀ black hole. The observed source hardening and weakening could be related to an intrinsic variation in the accretion rate. However, the limited photon statistics does not allow us to discriminate between an intrinsic luminosity and spectral change, and an absorption event produced by an intervening gas cloud along the line of sight. We also report the discovery of diffuse X-ray emission that extends for 30″ × 20″ southward of the QSO with a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of approximately six, hardness ratio of HR = 0.03+0.20−0.25, and soft band flux of f0.5– keV = 1.1+0.3−0.3 × 10−15 erg s−1 cm−2 , that is not associated to a group or cluster of galaxies. We discuss two possible explanations for the extended emission, which may be either associated with the radio lobe of a nearby, foreground radio galaxy (at z ≈ 1 – 2), or ascribed to the feedback from the QSO itself acting on its surrounding environment, as proposed by simulations of early black hole formation.

Direct detection of a break in the teraelectronvolt cosmic-ray spectrum of electrons and positrons.

High-energy cosmic-ray electrons and positrons (CREs), which lose energy quickly during their propagation, provide a probe of Galactic high-energy processes and may enable the observation of phenomena such as dark-matter particle annihilation or decay. The CRE spectrum has been measured directly up to approximately 2 teraelectronvolts in previous balloon- or space-borne experiments, and indirectly up to approximately 5 teraelectronvolts using ground-based Cherenkov γ-ray telescope arrays. Evidence for a spectral break in the teraelectronvolt energy range has been provided by indirect measurements, although the results were qualified by sizeable systematic uncertainties. Here we report a direct measurement of CREs in the energy range 25 gigaelectronvolts to 4.6 teraelectronvolts by the Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) with unprecedentedly high energy resolution and low background. The largest part of the spectrum can be well fitted by a 'smoothly broken power-law' model rather than a single power-law model. The direct detection of a spectral break at about 0.9 teraelectronvolts confirms the evidence found by previous indirect measurements, clarifies the behaviour of the CRE spectrum at energies above 1 teraelectronvolt and sheds light on the physical origin of the sub-teraelectronvolt CREs.

PSR J1119–6127 and Its Pulsar Wind Nebula Following the Magnetar-like Bursts

Abstract We present a Chandra Director’s Discretionary Time observation of PSR J1119–6127 and its compact X-ray pulsar wind nebula (PWN) obtained on 2016 October 27, three months after the Fermi and Swift detection of millisecond bursts in hard X-rays, accompanied by a ≳160 times increase in flux. This magnetar-like activity, the first observed from a rotation-powered radio pulsar, provides an important probe of the physical processes that differentiate radio pulsars from magnetars. The post-burst X-ray spectrum of the pulsar can be described by a single power-law model with a photon index of 2.0 ± 0.2 and an unabsorbed flux of 10−12 erg cm−2 s−1 in the 0.5–7.0 keV energy range. At the time of Chandra observations, the pulsar was still brighter by a factor of ∼22 in comparison with its quiescence. The X-ray images reveal a nebula brighter than in the pre-burst Chandra observations (from 2002 and 2004), with an unabsorbed flux of 10−13 erg cm−2 s−1. This implies a current X-ray efficiency of at a distance of 8.4 kpc. In addition, a faint torus-like structure is visible along the southeast–northwest direction and a jet-like feature perpendicular to the torus toward the southwest. The PWN is best fitted by an absorbed power-law with a photon index of 2.2 ± 0.5 (post-burst). While the pulsar can still be energetically powered by rotation, the observed changes in PSR J1119–6127 and its PWN following the magnetar-like bursts point to an additional source of energy powered by its high magnetic field.

Extremely Bright GRB 160625B with Multiple Emission Episodes: Evidence for Long-term Ejecta Evolution

Abstract GRB 160625B is an extremely bright GRB with three distinct emission episodes. By analyzing its data observed with the Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor (GBM) and Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board the Fermi mission, we find that a multicolor blackbody (mBB) model can be used to fit very well the spectra of the initial short episode (Episode I) within the hypothesis of photosphere emission of a fireball model. The time-resolved spectra of its main episode (Episode II), which was detected with both GBM and LAT after a long quiescent stage (∼180 s) following the initial episode, can be fitted with a model comprising an mBB component plus a cutoff power-law (CPL) component. This GRB was detected again in the GBM and LAT bands with a long extended emission (Episode III) after a quiescent period of ∼300 s. The spectrum of Episode III is adequately fitted with CPL plus single power-law models, and no mBB component is required. These features may imply that the emission of the three episodes are dominated by distinct physics processes, i.e., Episode I is possible from the cocoon emission surrounding the relativistic jet, Episode II may be from photosphere emission and internal shock of the relativistic jet, and Episode III is contributed by internal and external shocks of the relativistic jet. On the other hand, both X-ray and optical afterglows are consistent with the standard external shocks model.

X-shooter study of accretion in Chamaeleon I

The dependence of the mass accretion rate on the stellar properties is a key constraint for star formation and disk evolution studies. Here we present a study of a sample of stars in the Chamaeleon I star-forming region carried out using spectra taken with the ESO VLT/X-shooter spectrograph. The sample is nearly complete down to stellar masses (M⋆) ~0.1 M⊙ for the young stars still harboring a disk in this region. We derive the stellar and accretion parameters using a self-consistent method to fit the broadband flux-calibrated medium resolution spectrum. The correlation between accretion luminosity to stellar luminosity, and of mass accretion rate to stellar mass in the logarithmic plane yields slopes of 1.9 ± 0.1 and 2.3 ± 0.3, respectively. These slopes and the accretion rates are consistent with previous results in various star-forming regions and with different theoretical frameworks. However, we find that a broken power-law fit, with a steeper slope for stellar luminosity lower than ~0.45 L⊙ and for stellar masses lower than ~0.3 M⊙ is slightly preferred according to different statistical tests, but the single power-law model is not excluded. The steeper relation for lower mass stars can be interpreted as a faster evolution in the past for accretion in disks around these objects, or as different accretion regimes in different stellar mass ranges. Finally, we find two regions on the mass accretion versus stellar mass plane that are empty of objects: one region at high mass accretion rates and low stellar masses, which is related to the steeper dependence of the two parameters we derived. The second region is located just above the observational limits imposed by chromospheric emission, at M⋆ ~ 0.3 − 0.4 M⊙. These are typical masses where photoevaporation is known to be effective. The mass accretion rates of this region are ~10-10M⊙/yr, which is compatible with the value expected for photoevaporation to rapidly dissipate the inner disk.

The scaling of urban surface water abundance and impairment with city size

Urbanization alters surface water compared to nonurban landscapes, yet little is known regarding how basic aquatic ecosystem characteristics, such as the abundance and impairment of surface water, differ with population size or regional context. This study examined the abundance, scaling, and impairment of surface water by quantifying the stream length, water body area, and impaired stream length for 3520 cities in the United States with populations from 2500 to 18 million. Stream length, water body area, and impaired stream length were quantified using the National Hydrography Dataset and the EPA's 303(d) list. These metrics were scaled with population and city area using single and piecewise power-law models and related to biophysical factors (precipitation, topography) and land cover. Results show that abundance of stream length and water body area in cities actually increases with city area; however, the per person abundance decreases with population size. Relative to population, impaired stream length did not increase until city populations were >25,000 people, then scaled linearly with population. Some variation in abundance and impairment was explained by biophysical context and land cover. Development intensity correlated with stream density and impairment; however, those relationships depended on the orientation of the land covers. When high intensity development occupied the local elevation highs (+15m) and undeveloped land the elevation lows, the percentage of impaired streams was less than the opposite land cover orientation (−15m) or very flat land. These results show that surface water abundance and impairment across contiguous US cities are influenced by city size and by biophysical setting interacting with land cover intensity.

A deeper look at the X-ray point source population of NGC 4472

In this paper we discuss the X-ray point source population of NGC 4472, an elliptical galaxy in the Virgo cluster. We used recent deep Chandra data combined with archival Chandra data to obtain a 380 ks exposure time. We find 238 X-ray point sources within 3.7' of the galaxy centre, with a completeness flux, F(X,0.5-2 keV)= 6.3x$10^{-16}$ $erg s^{-1} cm^{-2}$. Most of these sources are expected to be low mass X-ray binaries. We finding that, using data from a single galaxy which is both complete and has a large number of objects (~ 100) below 10$^{38}$ $erg s^{-1}$, the X-ray luminosity function is well fit with a single power law model. By cross matching our X-ray data with both space based and ground based optical data for NGC 4472, we find that 80 of the 238 sources are in globular clusters. We compare the red and blue globular cluster subpopulations and find red clusters are nearly six times more likely to host an X-ray source than blue clusters. We show that there is evidence that these two subpopulations have significantly different X-ray luminosity distributions. Source catalogues for all X-ray point sources, as well as any corresponding optical data for globular cluster sources, are also presented here.

Photoionization Models for the Inner Gaseous Disks of Herbig Be Stars: Evidence against Magnetospheric Accretion?*

Abstract We investigate the physical properties of the inner gaseous disks of three hot Herbig B2e stars, HD 76534, HD 114981, and HD 216629, by modeling CFHT-ESPaDOns spectra using non-LTE radiative transfer codes. We assume that the emission lines are produced in a circumstellar disk heated solely by photospheric radiation from the central star in order to test whether the optical and near-infrared emission lines can be reproduced without invoking magnetospheric accretion. The inner gaseous disk density was assumed to follow a simple power-law in the equatorial plane, and we searched for models that could reproduce observed lines of H i (Hα and Hβ), He i, Ca ii, and Fe ii. For the three stars, good matches were found for all emission line profiles individually; however, no density model based on a single power-law was able to reproduce all of the observed emission lines. Among the single power-law models, the one with the gas density varying as ∼10−10(R */R)3 g cm−3 in the equatorial plane of a 25 R * (0.78 au) disk did the best overall job of representing the optical emission lines of the three stars. This model implies a mass for the Hα-emitting portion of the inner gaseous disk of ∼10−9 M *. We conclude that the optical emission line spectra of these HBe stars can be qualitatively reproduced by a ≈1 au, geometrically thin, circumstellar disk of negligible mass compared to the central star in Keplerian rotation and radiative equilibrium.

Chandra Survey of Nearby Galaxies: The Catalog

Abstract We searched the public archive of the Chandra X-ray Observatory as of 2016 March and assembled a sample of 719 galaxies within 50 Mpc with available Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer observations. By cross-correlation with the optical or near-infrared nuclei of these galaxies, 314 of them are identified to have an X-ray active galactic nucleus (AGN). The majority of them are low-luminosity AGNs and are unlikely X-ray binaries based upon their spatial distribution and luminosity functions. The AGN fraction is around 60% for elliptical galaxies and early-type spirals, but drops to roughly 20% for Sc and later types, consistent with previous findings in the optical. However, the X-ray survey is more powerful in finding weak AGNs, especially from regions with active star formation that may mask the optical AGN signature. For example, 31% of the H ii nuclei are found to harbor an X-ray AGN. For most objects, a single power-law model subject to interstellar absorption is adequate to fit the spectrum, and the typical photon index is found to be around 1.8. For galaxies with a non-detection, their stacked Chandra image shows an X-ray excess with a luminosity of a few times 1037 erg s−1 on average around the nuclear region, possibly composed of faint X-ray binaries. This paper reports on the technique and results of the survey; in-depth analysis and discussion of the results will be reported in forthcoming papers.

XMM-Newton Observation of the Nearby Pulsar B1133+16

Abstract We constrain the X-ray properties of the nearby ( 360 pc ) , old ( 5 Myr ) pulsar B1133+16 with ∼ 100 ks effective exposure time by XMM-Newton. The observed pulsar flux in the 0.2–3 keV energy range is ∼ 10 − 14 erg cm − 2 s − 1 , which results in the recording of ∼600 source counts with the EPIC pn and MOS detectors. The X-ray radiation is dominated by nonthermal radiation and is well described by both a single power-law model (PL) and a sum of blackbody and power-law emission (BB+PL). The BB+PL model results in a spectral photon index Γ = 2.4 − 0.3 + 0.4 and a nonthermal flux in the 0.2–3 keV energy range of ( 7 ± 2 ) × 10 − 15 erg cm − 2 s − 1 . The thermal emission is consistent with the blackbody emission from a small hot spot with a radius of R pc ≈ 14 − 5 + 7 m and a temperature of T s = 2.9 − 0.4 + 0.6 MK . Assuming that the hot spot corresponds to the polar cap of the pulsar, we can use the magnetic flux conservation law to estimate the magnetic field at the surface B s ≈ 3.9 × 10 14 G . The observations are in good agreement with the predictions of the partially screened gap model, which assumes the existence of small-scale surface magnetic field structures in the polar cap region.

Suzaku observations of the hard X-ray spectrum of Vela Jr. (SNR RX J0852.0−4622)

Abstract We report the results of Suzaku observations of the young supernova remnant, Vela Jr. (RX J0852.0−4622), which is known to emit synchrotron X-rays, as well as TeV gamma-rays. Utilizing 39 Suzaku mapping observation data from Vela Jr., a significant hard X-ray emission is detected with the hard X-ray detector (HXD) from the northwest TeV-emitting region. The X-ray spectrum is reproduced well by a single power-law model with a photon index of $3.15^{+1.18}_{-1.14}$ in the 12–22 keV band. Compiling this hard X-ray spectrum with the soft X-ray spectrum simultaneously observed with the X-ray imaging spectrometer (XIS) onboard Suzaku, we find that the wide-band X-ray spectrum in the 2–22 keV band is reproduced with a single power-law or concave broken power-law model, which are statistically consistent with each other. Whichever of the two models, single or broken power-law, is appropriate, clearly the spectrum has no roll-off structure. Applying this result to the method introduced in Yamazaki et al. (2014, Res. Astron. Astrophys., 14, 165), we find that a one-zone synchrotron model with electron spectrum having a power-law plus exponential cut-off may not be applicable to Vela Jr.

Constraining the physical structure of the inner few 100 AU scales of deeply embedded low-mass protostars

(Abridged) The physical structure of deeply-embedded low-mass protostars (Class 0) on scales of less than 300 AU is still poorly constrained. Determining this is crucial for understanding the physical and chemical evolution from cores to disks. In this study two models of the emission, a Gaussian disk intensity distribution and a parametrized power-law disk model, are fitted to sub-arcsecond resolution interferometric continuum observations of five Class 0 sources, including one source with a confirmed Keplerian disk. For reference, a spherically symmetric single power-law envelope is fitted to the larger scale ($\sim$1000 AU) emission and investigated further for one of the sources on smaller scales. A thin disk model can approximate the emission and physical structure in the inner few 100 AU scales of the studied deeply-embedded low-mass protostars and paves the way for analysis of a larger sample with ALMA. While the disk radii agree with previous estimates the masses are different for some of the sources studied. Assuming a typical temperature distribution, the fractional amount of mass in the disk above 100 K varies in between 7% to 30%. Kinematic data are needed to determine the presence of any Keplerian disk. Using previous observations of p-H$_2^{18}$O, we estimate the relative gas phase water abundances roughly an order of magnitude higher than previously inferred when both warm and cold H$_2$ was used as reference. A spherically symmetric single power-law envelope model fails to simultaneously reproduce both the small and large scale emission.