Determining the Parameters of Massive Protostellar Clouds via Radiative
  Transfer Modeling
  A one-dimensional method for reconstructing the structure of prestellar and
protostellar clouds is presented. The method is based on radiative transfer
computations and a comparison of theoretical and observed intensity
distributions at both millimeter and infrared wavelengths. The radiative
transfer of dust emission is modeled for specified parameters of the density
distribution, central star, and external background, and the theoretical
distribution of the dust temperature inside the cloud is determined. The
intensity distributions at millimeter and IR wavelengths are computed and
quantitatively compared with observational data. The best-fit model parameters
are determined using a genetic minimization algorithm, which makes it possible
to reveal the ranges of parameter degeneracy as well. The method is illustrated
by modeling the structure of the two infrared dark clouds IRDC-320.27+029 (P2)
and IRDC-321.73+005 (P2). The derived density and temperature distributions can
be used to model the chemical structure and spectral maps in molecular lines.
