Bibcode
Inskip, K. J.; Tadhunter, C. N.; Morganti, R.; Holt, J.; Ramos-Almeida, C.; Dicken, D.
Referencia bibliográfica
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 407, Issue 3, pp. 1739-1766.
Fecha de publicación:
9
2010
Número de citas
38
Número de citas referidas
35
Descripción
We present the results of a program of K- and KS-band imaging
of a sample of 2Jy radio galaxies with redshifts 0.03 <~ z <~ 0.5,
for which the host galaxy morphologies and structural parameters
(effective radius, Sérsic index and unresolved nuclear point
source contribution) have been determined using GALFIT. Two-thirds of
our sample are best modelled as being hosted by massive elliptical
galaxies with Sérsic indices of n = 4-6, with the remainder being
better suited either by a mixture of morphological components (usually a
bulge plus a small, less luminous, disc component) or by more discy
galaxy models with n = 1-2. Our measured galaxy sizes are generally in
very good agreement with other imaging programs, both space- and
ground-based. We also determine a slightly higher average nuclear point
source contribution than similar Hubble Space Telescope based programs.
This is due to our inability to separate the active galactic nuclei
emission from compact circum-nuclear stellar emission, but does not bias
our modelling of the remainder of the host galaxies and our results
remain robust. We also observe that roughly half of the objects in our
sample are either undergoing major or minor merger activity or are
clearly morphologically disturbed.
Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory,
Chile [programs 074.B-0296(A), 074.B-0296(B), 075.B-0674(A) and
078.B-0500(A)].
E-mail: inskip [at] mpia-hd.mpg.de (inskip[at]mpia-hd[dot]mpg[dot]de)