The surface brightness-axis ratio relation as a test of intrinsic shapes of elliptical galaxies

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (30) References (13) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS The surface brightness-axis ratio relation as a test of intrinsic shapes of elliptical galaxies Olson, D. W. ; de Vaucouleurs, G. Abstract The relation between apparent ellipticity and surface brightness for a sample of 112 normal, noninteracting, bright elliptical galaxies in the Second Reference Catalogue is used as a test of their intrinsic shapes. The observed trend is consistent with that expected from geometric projection effects for oblate spheroids, when it is assumed that intrinsic surface brightness, as viewed down the symmetry axis, is independent of the intrinsic axis ratio. Prolate models for elliptical galaxies cannot be ruled out, however, if the ad hoc hypothesis is made that a correlation strong enough to dominate the projection effects exists between intrinsic flattening and surface brightness. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: October 1981 DOI: 10.1086/159260 Bibcode: 1981ApJ...249...68O Keywords: Brightness Distribution; Elliptical Galaxies; Flattening; Galactic Structure; Astronomical Models; Axes (Reference Lines); Oblate Spheroids; Prolate Spheroids; Spectrophotometry; Surface Properties; Astrophysics full text sources ADS | data products NED (112)