  Context: The low mass protostar IRAS16293-2422 is a prototype Class 0 source
with respect to the studies of the chemical structure during the initial phases
of life of Solar type stars. Aims: In order to derive an accurate chemical
structure, a precise determination of the source physical structure is
required. The scope of the present work is the derivation of the structure of
IRAS16293-2422. Methods: We have re-analyzed all available continuum data
(single dish and interferometric, from millimeter to MIR) to derive accurate
density and dust temperature profiles. Using ISO observations of water, we have
also reconstructed the gas temperature profile. Results: Our analysis shows
that the envelope surrounding IRAS16293-2422 is well described by the Shu
"inside-out" collapsing envelope model or a single power-law density profile
with index equal to 1.8. In contrast to some previous studies, our analysis
does not show evidence of a large (>/- 800 AU in diameter) cavity. Conclusions:
Although IRAS16293-2422 is a multiple system composed by two or three objects,
our reconstruction will be useful to derive the chemical structure of the large
cold envelope surrounding these objects and the warm component, treated here as
a single source, from single-dish observations of molecular emission.
