Nonuniform free-free absorption in the GPS radio galaxy 0108+388

We have observed the canonical gigahertz-peaked spectrum source 0108 + 388 with the Very Long Baseline Array at a range of frequencies above and below the spectral peak. The activity that dominates the radio emission from 010 8 + 388, which is also classified as a compact symmetric object, is thought to be less than 1000 years old. We present strong evidence that the spectr al turnover in 0108 + 388 results from free-free absorption by nonuniform g as, possibly in the form of a disk in the central tens of parsecs.