The ACS Virgo Cluster Survey. VI. Isophotal Analysis and the Structure of Early-Type Galaxies

Details The ACS Virgo Cluster Survey. VI. Isophotal Analysis and the Structure of Early-Type Galaxies The ACS Virgo Cluster Survey. VI. Isophotal Analysis and the Structure of Early-Type Galaxies

2006-02-14

arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0602297v1

Astrophys.J.Suppl.164:334-434,2006

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Accepted by The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. This submission contains low resolution figures; we strongly recommen

Scientific paper

10.1086/501350

(Abridged) We present a detailed analysis of the morphology, isophotal parameters and surface brightness profiles for 100 early-type members of the Virgo Cluster, from dwarfs (M_B = -15.1 mag) to giants (M_B = -21.8 mag). Each galaxy has been imaged in two filters, closely resembling the Sloan g and z passbands, using the Advanced Camera for Surveys on board the Hubble Space Telescope. Dust and complex morphological structures are common, with kiloparsec-scale stellar disks, bars, and nuclear stellar disks seen in 60% of galaxies with intermediate luminosity (-20 < M_B < -17), and dust seen in 42% of galaxies brighter than M_B = -18.9 mag. Dust morphologies range from faint wisps and patches on tens of parsec scales, to regular, highly organized kpc-scale dust disks, often showing evidence of recent star formation. Surface brightness profiles and isophotal parameters are derived typically within 8 kpc from the center for the brightest galaxies, and 1.5 kpc for the faintest systems, with a resolution (FWHM) of 7 pc. Based on a parametrization of the surface brightness profiles in terms of a Sersic or core-Sersic model, we find that 1) there is no evidence of a bimodal behavior of the slope, gamma, of the profile in the innermost regions; 2) although the brightest galaxies have shallow inner profiles, the shallowest profiles (lowest gamma values) are found in faint dwarf systems; 3) the widely adopted separation of early-type galaxies between "core" and "power-law" types, which had originally been prompted by the claim of a clear bimodal distribution of gamma values, is untenable; and 4) there is no evidence of a structural dichothomy between dwarf and regular ellipticals.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

The ACS Virgo Cluster Survey. VI. Isophotal Analysis and the Structure of Early-Type Galaxies does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with The ACS Virgo Cluster Survey. VI. Isophotal Analysis and the Structure of Early-Type Galaxies, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The ACS Virgo Cluster Survey. VI. Isophotal Analysis and the Structure of Early-Type Galaxies will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-567700