Near-infrared low-resolution radial luminosity distributions of nearby active galaxies

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (19) References (83) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Near-Infrared Low-Resolution Radial Luminosity Distributions of Nearby Active Galaxies Hunt, L. K. ; Giovanardi, C. Abstract We present low-resolution near-infrared (NIR) radial brightness and color profiles of a small sample of nearby Seyfert, starburst, and LINER galaxies. These profiles are used to determine extranuclear NIR colors and to determine the nuclear flux in the observing aperture. We find that the NIR nuclear continua in some Seyferts (NGC 3227 and NGC 5506) are well fit by a reddened power law with flat indices (α~0.0-0.5) and substantial reddening (A_V_ ~ 5-10 mag), implying that the continua suffer from more extinction than does either the broad-line region or the narrow-line region. In a Seyfert 2 (NGC 1068), there is not only excess nuclear emission (in the K and L bands) relative to the host galaxy brightness profile, but also a central depression (in the J and H bands). Excess nuclear emission relative to the surrounding galaxy is also present in two starbursts (NGC 520 and NGC 2782) and seems to be due to hot dust, or hot dust together with H II-region emission. Finally, we find evidence for violent star formation on kpc scales around the nucleus in each of the activity classes, that is to say in six of the nine galaxies studied. Publication: The Astronomical Journal Pub Date: September 1992 DOI: 10.1086/116295 Bibcode: 1992AJ....104.1018H Keywords: Active Galaxies; Luminosity; Near Infrared Radiation; Seyfert Galaxies; Starburst Galaxies; Interstellar Extinction; Line Shape; Radial Distribution; Astrophysics; GALAXIES: ACTIVE; GALAXIES: STARBURST; GALAXIES: SEYFERT; GALAXIES: LUMINOSITY full text sources ADS | data products SIMBAD (9) NED (9)