Spectral index

Spectral index

In radio astronomy, the spectral index of a radio source can hint at its physical properties. The spectral index is calculated from an assumed power law dependence for flux given by Spropto u^alpha where S is flux and u is frequency. A more direct formula is:alpha=frac{log(S_1/S_2)}{log( u_1/ u_2)}

A spectral index of -.1 typically indicates thermal, or free-free (bremsstrahlung) emission, while a steep spectral index of -.7 indicates synchrotron emission.


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