Continuum spectra of collimated, ionized stellar winds

Abstract

The behavior of well-collimated ionized flows is studied. The derivation and calculation of the opaque spectral index, collimation distance, mass-loss rate, and radio flux for an unresolved, partially opaque, collimated thermal jet are described. Unresolved sources exhibit partially opaque spectra with spectral indices between 2 and -0.1. The relations for collimation distance and mass-loss rate for jets are examined as a function of observable parameters. Structure in the integrated spectra reveal spatial structure in the source. The applications of the data to isothermal, constant-velocity fully-ionized flows, a jet confined by a power-law density profile in an ambient medium, and continuum sources in NGC 7538 and L 1551 are discussed.