Bibcode
DOI
Laurikainen, Eija; Salo, Heikki; Buta, Ronald; Knapen, Johan; Speltincx, Tom; Block, David
Bibliographical reference
The Astronomical Journal, Volume 132, Issue 6, pp. 2634-2652.
Advertised on:
12
2006
Citations
89
Refereed citations
77
Description
Structural analysis has been performed for a sample of 15 southern
early-type disk galaxies, mainly S0 galaxies, using high-resolution
Ks-band images. The galaxies are mostly barred, and many of
them show multiple structures including bars and ovals, typical for S0
galaxies. The new images are of sufficient quality to reveal new detail
of the morphology of the galaxies. For example, we report a hitherto
undetected nuclear ring in NGC 1387, a nuclear bar in NGC 1326, and in
the residual image a weak primary bar in NGC 1317. For the galaxies we
(1) measure the radial profiles of the orientation parameters derived
from the elliptical isophotes, (2) apply Fourier methods for calculating
tangential forces, and, in particular, (3) apply structural
decomposition methods. For galaxies with multiple structures a
two-dimensional method is found to be superior to a one-dimensional
method but only if in addition to the bulge and the disk at least one
other component is taken into account. We find strong evidence of
pseudobulges in S0 galaxies: 10 of the galaxies have a shape parameter
of the bulge near n=2, indicating that the bulges are more disklike than
following the R1/4 law. Also, six of the galaxies have either
nuclear rings, nuclear bars, or nuclear disks. In all nonelliptical
galaxies in our sample the bulge-to-total (B/T) flux ratio is less than
0.4, as is typically found in galaxies having pseudobulges. In two of
the galaxies the B/T flux ratio is as small as in typical Sc-type spiral
galaxies. This might be the hitherto undiscovered link in the scenario
in which spiral galaxies are transformed into S0 galaxies. Also, bars in
S0 systems are found to be shorter and less massive and to have smaller
bar torques than bars in S0/a-type galaxies.