Distribution of χ² for a range of τ_pol/τ_eq for our three sources, Mrk 1044 (top rows), SDSS J080101 (middle rows), and IRAS 04416 (bottom rows). This range is the ratio of the optical depth in the polar region to the equatorial region. The location and the corresponding value of the ratio (τ_pol/τ_eq) of the minimum and second-to-minimum χ² values are marked with dashed and dotted lines, respectively. Middle and right columns: fit for the total flux for each source corresponding to the minimum χ² and the second-to-minimum χ².