Three-dimensional Continuum Radiative Transfer Images of a Molecular Cloud Core Evolution

We analyze a three-dimensional smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulation of an evolving and later collapsing prestellar core. Using a three-dimensional continuum radiative transfer program, we generate images at 7 μm, 15 μm, 175 μm, and 1.3 mm for different evolutionary times and viewing angles. We discuss the observability of the properties of prestellar cores for the different wavelengths. For examples of nonsymmetric fragments, it is shown that, misleadingly, the density profiles derived from a one-dimensional analysis of the corresponding images are consistent with one-dimensional core evolution models. We conclude that one-dimensional modeling based on column density interpretation of images does not produce reliable structural information and that multidimensional modeling is required.