De Vaucouleurs Profile Research Articles

GaiaData Release 3

Context.Since July 2014, theGaiaspace mission has been continuously scanning the sky and observing the extragalactic Universe with unprecedented spatial resolution in the optical domain (∼180 mas by the end of the mission).Gaiaprovides an opportunity to study the morphology of the galaxies of the local Universe (z < 0.45) with much higher resolution than has ever been attained from the ground. It also allows us to provide the first morphological all-sky space catalogue of nearby galaxies and galaxies that host quasars in the visible spectrum.Aims.We present the Data Processing and Analysis Consortium CU4-Surface Brightness Profile fitting pipeline, which aims to recover the light profile of nearby galaxies and galaxies hosting quasars.Methods.The pipeline uses a direct model based on the Radon transform to measure the two-dimensional surface brightness profile of the extended sources. It simulates a large set of 2D light profiles and iteratively looks for the one that best reproduces the 1D observations by means of a Bayesian exploration of the parameters space. We also present our method for setting up the input lists of galaxies and quasars to be processed.Results.We successfully analysed 1 103 691 known quasars and detected a host galaxy around 64 498 of them (∼6%). We publish the surface brightness profiles of the host for a subset of 15 867 quasars with robust solutions. The distribution of the Sérsic index describing the light profile of the host galaxies peaks at ∼0.8 with a mean value of ∼1.9, indicating that these galaxies hosting a quasar are consistent with disc-like galaxies. The pipeline also analysed 940 887 galaxies with both a Sérsicand a de Vaucouleurs profile and derived robust solutions for 914 837 of them. The distribution of the Sérsic indices confirms thatGaiamostly detects elliptical galaxies and that very few discs are measured.

Formation of an Extended Stellar Halo around an Ultra-faint Dwarf Galaxy Following One of the Earliest Mergers from Galactic Building Blocks

Abstract Ultra-faint dwarf galaxies (UFDs) are promising observable proxies to building blocks of galaxies formed in the early universe. We study the formation and evolution of UFDs using cosmological hydrodynamic simulations. In particular, we show that a major merger of two building block galaxies with 3900 M ⊙ and 7500 M ⊙ at the cosmic age of 510 Myr results in a system with an extended stellar distribution consistent with the de Vaucouleurs profile. The simulated galaxy has an average stellar metallicity of [Fe/H] = −2.7 and features a metallicity gradient. These results closely resemble the properties of a recently discovered UFD, Tucana II, which is extremely metal-poor and has a spatially extended stellar halo with the more distant stars being more metal-poor. Our simulation suggests that the extended stellar halo of Tucana II may have been formed through a past major merger. Future observational searches for spatially extended structures around other UFDs, combined with further theoretical studies, will provide tangible measures of the evolutionary history of the ancient, surviving satellite galaxies.

Photometric Dissection of Intracluster Light and Its Correlations with Host Cluster Properties

Abstract We explore several ways to dissect brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) and their surrounding intracluster light (ICL) using a surface brightness (SB) cut, a luminosity cut, excess light above a de Vaucouleurs profile, or a double Sérsic decomposition. Assuming that all light above is attributable to the ICL, we find that an average fraction of of all diffuse light centered on the BCG belongs to the ICL. Likewise, if we assume that all light fainter than mag arcsec−2 belongs to the ICL, the average ICL fraction is . After fitting a de Vaucouleurs profile to the inner parts of the SB profile, we detect excess light at large radii, corresponding to an average ICL fraction of . Finally, by decomposing the SB profile into two Sérsic functions, we find an average ICL fraction of associated with the outer Sérsic component. Our measured ICL and BCG+ICL luminosities agree well with predictions from high-resolution simulations where the outer Sérsic component traces the unrelaxed, accreted stellar material. BCG and ICL properties defined in this way are correlated with cluster parameters to study the coevolution of BCGs, ICL, and their host clusters. We find positive correlations between BCG+ICL brightness and cluster mass, cluster velocity dispersion, cluster radius, and integrated satellite brightness, confirming that BCG/ICL growth is indeed coupled with cluster growth. On average, the ICL is better aligned than the BCG with the host cluster in terms of position angle, ellipticity, and centering. That makes it a potential dark-matter tracer.

A recent major merger tale for the closest giant elliptical galaxy Centaurus A

ABSTRACT We have used hydrodynamical simulations to model the formation of the closest giant elliptical galaxy Centaurus A. We find that a single major merger event with a mass ratio of up to 1.5, and which has happened ∼2 Gyr ago, is able to reproduce many of its properties, including galaxy kinematics, the inner gas disc, stellar halo ages and metallicities, and numerous faint features observed in the halo. The elongated halo shape is mostly made of progenitor residuals deposited by the merger, which also contribute to stellar shells observed in the Centaurus A halo. The current model also reproduces the measured planetary nebula line-of-sight velocity and their velocity dispersion. Models with a small mass ratio and relatively low gas fraction result in a de Vaucouleurs profile distribution, which is consistent with observations and model expectations. A recent merger left imprints in the age distribution that are consistent with the young stellar and globular cluster populations (2–4 Gyr) found within the halo. We conclude that even if not all properties of Centaurus A have been accurately reproduced, a recent major merger has likely occurred to form the Centaurus A galaxy as we observe it at present day.

The mass–size relation of luminous red galaxies from BOSS and DECaLS

We use the DECaLS DR3 survey photometry matched to the SDSS-III/BOSS DR12 spectroscopic catalog to investigate the morphology and stellar mass-size relation of luminous red galaxies (LRGs) within the CMASS and LOWZ galaxy samples in the redshift range $0.2<z<0.7$. The large majority of both samples is composed of early-type galaxies with De Vaucouleurs profiles, while only less than 20% are late-type exponentials. We calibrate DECaLS effective radii using the higher resolution CFHT/MegaCam observations and optimise the correction for each morphological type. By cross-matching the photometric properties of the early-type population with the Portsmouth stellar mass catalog, we are able to explore the high-mass end of the distribution using a large sample of 313,026 galaxies over 4380 deg$^{2}$. We find a clear correlation between the sizes and the stellar masses of these galaxies, which appears flatter than previous estimates at lower masses. The sizes of these early-type galaxies do not exhibit significant evolution within the BOSS redshift range, but a slightly declining redshift trend is found when these results are combined with $z\sim0.1$ SDSS measurements at the high-mass end. The synergy between BOSS and DECaLS has important applications in other fields, including galaxy clustering and weak lensing.

The correlation between the sizes of globular cluster systems and their host dark matter haloes

The sizes of entire systems of globular clusters (GCs) depend on the formation and destruction histories of the GCs themselves, but also on the assembly, merger and accretion history of the dark matter (DM) haloes that they inhabit. Recent work has shown a linear relation between total mass of globular clusters in the globular cluster system and the mass of its host dark matter halo, calibrated from weak lensing. Here we extend this to GC system sizes, by studying the radial density profiles of GCs around galaxies in nearby galaxy groups. We find that radial density profiles of the GC systems are well fit with a de Vaucouleurs profile. Combining our results with those from the literature, we find tight relationship ($\sim 0.2$ dex scatter) between the effective radius of the GC system and the virial radius (or mass) of its host DM halo. The steep non-linear dependence of this relationship ($R_{e, GCS} \propto R_{200}^{2.5 - 3}$) is currently not well understood, but is an important clue regarding the assembly history of DM haloes and of the GC systems that they host.

NGC 1275: An Outlier of the Black Hole-Host Scaling Relations

The active galaxy NGC 1275 lies at the center of the Perseus cluster of galaxies, being an archetypal BH-galaxy system that is supposed to fit well with the M_BH-host scaling relations obtained for quiescent galaxies. Since it harbours an obscured AGN, only recently our group has been able to estimate its black hole mass. Here our aim is to pinpoint NGC 1275 on the less dispersed scaling relations, namely the M_BH-sigma_star and M_BH-L_bul planes. Starting from our previous work Ricci et al. 2017b, we estimate that NGC 1275 falls well outside the intrinsic dispersion of the M_BH-sigma_star plane being ~1.2 dex (in black hole mass) displaced with respect to the scaling relations. We then perform a 2D morphological decomposition analysis on Spitzer/IRAC images at 3.6 mic and find that, beyond the bright compact nucleus that dominates the central emission, NGC 1275 follows a de Vaucouleurs profile with no sign of significant star formation nor clear merger remnants. Nonetheless, its displacement on the M_BH-L_(3.6,bul) plane with respect to the scaling relation is as high as observed in the M_BH-sigma_star.

OBSERVATIONS OF THE LENSED QUASAR Q2237+0305 WITH CANARICAM AT GTC

ABSTRACT We present new mid-IR observations of the quadruply lensed quasar Q2237+0305 taken with CanariCam on the Gran Telescopio Canarias. Mid-IR emission by hot dust, unlike the optical and near-IR emission from the accretion disk, is unaffected by the interstellar medium (extinction/scattering) or stellar microlensing. We compare these “true” ratios to the (stellar) microlensed flux ratios observed in the optical/near-IR to constrain the structure of the quasar accretion disk. We find a half-light radius of lt-day at and an exponent for the temperature profile of , where for a standard thin-disk model. If we assume that the differences in the mid-IR flux ratios measured over the years are due to microlensing variability, we find a lower limit for the size of the mid-IR-emitting region of lt-day. We also test for the presence of substructure/satellites by comparing the observed mid-IR flux ratios with those predicted from smooth lens models. We can explain the differences if the surface density fraction in satellites near the lensed images is for a singular isothermal ellipsoid plus external shear mass model or for a mass model combining ellipsoidal NFW and de Vaucouleurs profiles in an external shear.

Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA): maximum-likelihood determination of the luminosity function and its evolution

We describe modifications to the joint stepwise maximum-likelihood method of Cole in order to simultaneously fit the Galaxy and Mass Assembly II galaxy luminosity function (LF), corrected for radial density variations, and its evolution with redshift. The whole sample is reasonably well fitted with luminosity (Qe) and density (Pe) evolution parameters Qe, Pe ≈ 1.0, 1.0 but with significant degeneracies characterized by Qe ≈ 1.4 − 0.4Pe. Blue galaxies exhibit larger luminosity density evolution than red galaxies, as expected. We present the evolution-corrected r-band LF for the whole sample and for blue and red subsamples, using both Petrosian and Sérsic magnitudes. Petrosian magnitudes miss a substantial fraction of the flux of de Vaucouleurs profile galaxies: the Sérsic LF is substantially higher than the Petrosian LF at the bright end.

Detecting stars, galaxies, and asteroids withGaia

(Abridged) Gaia aims to make a 3-dimensional map of 1,000 million stars in our Milky Way to unravel its kinematical, dynamical, and chemical structure and evolution. Gaia's on-board detection software discriminates stars from spurious objects like cosmic rays and Solar protons. For this, parametrised point-spread-function-shape criteria are used. This study aims to provide an optimum set of parameters for these filters. We developed an emulation of the on-board detection software, which has 20 free, so-called rejection parameters which govern the boundaries between stars on the one hand and sharp or extended events on the other hand. We evaluate the detection and rejection performance of the algorithm using catalogues of simulated single stars, double stars, cosmic rays, Solar protons, unresolved galaxies, and asteroids. We optimised the rejection parameters, improving - with respect to the functional baseline - the detection performance of single and double stars, while, at the same time, improving the rejection performance of cosmic rays and of Solar protons. We find that the minimum separation to resolve a close, equal-brightness double star is 0.23 arcsec in the along-scan and 0.70 arcsec in the across-scan direction, independent of the brightness of the primary. We find that, whereas the optimised rejection parameters have no significant impact on the detectability of de Vaucouleurs profiles, they do significantly improve the detection of exponential-disk profiles. We also find that the optimised rejection parameters provide detection gains for asteroids fainter than 20 mag and for fast-moving near-Earth objects fainter than 18 mag, albeit this gain comes at the expense of a modest detection-probability loss for bright, fast-moving near-Earth objects. The major side effect of the optimised parameters is that spurious ghosts in the wings of bright stars essentially pass unfiltered.

THE SIZE-VIRIAL RADIUS RELATION OF GALAXIES

Sizes of galaxies are an important diagnostic for galaxy formation models. In this study I use the abundance matching ansatz, which has proven to be successful in reproducing galaxy clustering and other statistics, to derive estimates of the virial radius, R200, for galaxies of different morphological types and wide range of stellar mass. I show that over eight of orders of magnitude in stellar mass galaxies of all morphological types follow an approximately linear relation between 3D half-mass radius of their stellar distribution, rhalf and virial radius, rhalf~0.015R200 with a scatter of ~0.2 dex. Such scaling is in remarkable agreement with expectation of models which assume that galaxy sizes are controlled by halo angular momentum, which implies rhalf\propto lambda R200, where lambda is the spin of galaxy parent halo. The scatter about the relation is comparable with the scatter expected from the distribution of $\lambda$ and normalization of the relation agrees with that predicted by the model of Mo, Mao & White (1998), if galaxy sizes were set on average at z~1-2. Moreover, I show that when stellar and gas surface density profiles of galaxies of different morphological types are rescaled using radius r_n= 0.015 R200, the rescaled surface density profiles follow approximately universal exponential (for late types) and de Vaucouleurs (for early types) profiles with scatter of only 30-50% at R~1-3r_n. Remarkably, both late and early type galaxies have similar mean stellar surface density profiles at R>r_n. The main difference between their stellar distributions is thus at R<r_n. The results of this study imply that galaxy sizes and radial distribution of baryons are shaped primarily by properties of their parent halo and that sizes of both late type disks and early type spheroids are controlled by halo angular momentum.

GALAXY STRUCTURE AND MODE OF STAR FORMATION IN THE SFR-MASS PLANE FROMz∼ 2.5 TOz∼ 0.1

We analyze the dependence of galaxy structure (size and Sersic index) and mode of star formation (\Sigma_SFR and SFR_IR/SFR_UV) on the position of galaxies in the SFR versus Mass diagram. Our sample comprises roughly 640000 galaxies at z~0.1, 130000 galaxies at z~1, and 36000 galaxies at z~2. Structural measurements for all but the z~0.1 galaxies were based on HST imaging, and SFRs are derived using a Herschel-calibrated ladder of SFR indicators. We find that a correlation between the structure and stellar population of galaxies (i.e., a 'Hubble sequence') is already in place since at least z~2.5. At all epochs, typical star-forming galaxies on the main sequence are well approximated by exponential disks, while the profiles of quiescent galaxies are better described by de Vaucouleurs profiles. In the upper envelope of the main sequence, the relation between the SFR and Sersic index reverses, suggesting a rapid build-up of the central mass concentration in these starbursting outliers. We observe quiescent, moderately and highly star-forming systems to co-exist over an order of magnitude or more in stellar mass. At each mass and redshift, galaxies on the main sequence have the largest size. The rate of size growth correlates with specific SFR, and so does \Sigma_SFR at each redshift. A simple model using an empirically determined SF law and metallicity scaling, in combination with an assumed geometry for dust and stars is able to relate the observed \Sigma_SFR and SFR_IR/SFR_UV, provided a more patchy dust geometry is assumed for high-redshift galaxies.

WINGS: A WIde-field Nearby Galaxy-cluster Survey

Context. This is the second paper of a series devoted to the WIde Field Nearby Galaxy-cluster Survey (WINGS). WINGS is a long term project which is gathering wide-field, multi-band imaging and spectroscopy of galaxies in a complete sample of 77 X-ray selected, nearby clusters (0.04 < z < 0.07) located far from the galactic plane (|b |≥ 20 ◦ ). The main goal of this project is to establish a local reference for evolutionary studies of galaxies and galaxy clusters. Aims. This paper presents the optical (B,V) photometric catalogs of the WINGS sample and describes the procedures followed to construct them. We have paid special care to correctly treat the large extended galaxies (which includes the brightest cluster galaxies) and the reduction of the influence of the bright halos of very bright stars. Methods. We have constructed photometric catalogs based on wide-field images in B and V bands using SExtractor. Photometry has been performed on images in which large galaxies and halos of bright stars were removed after modeling them with elliptical isophotes. Results. We publish deep optical photometric catalogs (90% complete at V ∼ 21.7, which translates to ∼M ∗ + 6 at mean redshift), giving positions, geometrical parameters, and several total and aperture magnitudes for all the objects detected. For each field we have produced three catalogs containing galaxies, stars and objects of “unknown” classification (∼16%). From simulations we found that the uncertainty of our photometry is quite dependent of the light profile of the objects with stars having the most robust photometry and de Vaucouleurs profiles showing higher uncertainties and also an additional bias of ∼−0.2 m . The star/galaxy classification of the bright objects (V < 20) was checked visually making negligible the fraction of misclassified objects. For fainter objects, we found that simulations do not provide reliable estimates of the possible misclassification and therefore we have compared our data with that from deep counts of galaxies and star counts from models of our Galaxy. Both sets turned out to be consistent with our data within ∼5% (in the ratio galaxies/total) up to V ∼ 24. Finally, we remark that the application of our special procedure to remove large halos improves the photometry of the large galaxies in our sample with respect to the use of blind automatic procedures and increases (∼16%) the detection rate of objects projected onto them.

MORPHOLOGIES OF HIGH-REDSHIFT, DUST-OBSCURED GALAXIES FROM KECK LASER GUIDE STAR ADAPTIVE OPTICS

Spitzer MIPS images in the Bootes field of the NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey have revealed a class of extremely dust-obscured galaxy (DOG) at z ~ 2. The DOGs are defined by very red optical to mid-infrared (IR; observed-frame) colors, R – [24 μm] > 14 mag, i.e. f_ν(24 μm)/f_ν(R) > 1000. They are ultra-luminous infrared galaxies with L_(8-1000 μm) > 10^(12)-10^(14) L⊙, but typically have very faint optical (rest-frame UV) fluxes. We imaged three DOGs with the Keck laser guide star adaptive optics (LGSAO) system, obtaining ~0.06 resolution in the K'-band. One system was dominated by a point source, while the other two were clearly resolved. Of the resolved sources, one can be modeled as a exponential disk system. The other is consistent with a de Vaucouleurs profile typical of elliptical galaxies. The nonparametric measures of their concentration and asymmetry show the DOGs to be both compact and smooth. The AO images rule out double nuclei with separations of greater than 0.1 (<1 kpc at z = 2), making it unlikely that ongoing major mergers (mass ratios of 1/3 and greater) are triggering the high-IR luminosities. By contrast, high-resolution images of z ~ 2 SCUBA sources tend to show multiple components and a higher degree of asymmetry. We compare near-IR morphologies of the DOGs with a set of z = 1 luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs; L_(IR) ~ 10^(11) L⊙) imaged with Keck LGSAO by the Center for Adaptive Optics Treasury Survey. The DOGs in our sample have significantly smaller effective radii, ~1/4 the size of the z = 1 LIRGs, and tend toward higher concentrations. The small sizes and high concentrations may help explain the globally obscured rest-frame blue-to-UV emission of the DOGs.

Discovery of an extended, halo-like stellar population around the Large Magellanic Cloud

AbstractWe describe an ongoing, large-scale, photometric and spectroscopic survey of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) periphery. This survey uses WashingtonM,T2+DDO51 photometry to identify distant LMC red giant branch (RGB) star candidates; multi-object spectroscopy is used to confirm the stellar surface gravities of these RGB stars and their association with the LMC (e.g., through radial velocities). The survey now encompasses hundreds of fields ranging from the LMC center with full azimuthal coverage around the LMC and out to 23° from the LMC center. We have confirmed the existence of RGB stars with (the unusual) Magellanic velocities out to the radial limit of this survey coverage. From data in a subsample of these fields, we show that this extended population of stars makes up a diffuse structure enveloping the LMC with a two-dimensional distribution resembling a classical halo with a shallow de Vaucouleurs profile and a broad metallicity spread around a typical mean value of [Fe/H] ~ −1.0.

Evidence for Merger Remnants in Early‐Type Host Galaxies of Low‐Redshift QSOs1

We present results from a pilot HST ACS deep imaging study in broadband V of five low-redshift QSO host galaxies classified in the literature as ellipticals. The aim of our study is to determine whether these early-type hosts formed at high redshift and have since evolved passively, or whether they have undergone relatively recent mergers that may be related to the triggering of the nuclear activity. We perform two-dimensional modeling of the light distributions to analyze the host galaxies' morphology. We find that, while each host galaxy is reasonably well fitted by a de Vaucouleurs profile, the majority of them (4/5) reveal significant fine structure such as shells and tidal tails. These structures contribute between ~5% and 10% to the total V-band luminosity of each host galaxy within a region of r ∼ 3reff and are indicative of merger events that occurred between a few hundred Myr and a Gyr ago. These timescales are comparable to starburst ages in the QSO hosts previously inferred from Keck spectroscopy. Our results thus support a consistent scenario in which most of the QSO host galaxies suffered mergers with accompanying starbursts that likely also triggered the QSO activity in some way, but we are also left with considerable uncertainty on physical mechanisms that might have delayed this triggering for several hundred Myr after the merger.

Dependence of Galaxy Shape on Environment in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Using a sample of galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 4, we study the trends relating surface brightness profile type and apparent axis ratio to the local galaxy environment. We use the SDSS parameter `fracDeV' to quantify the profile type. We find that galaxies with M_r > -18 are mostly described by exponential profiles in all environments. Galaxies with -21 < M_r < -18 mainly have exponential profiles in low density environments and de Vaucouleurs profiles in high density environments. The most luminous galaxies, with M_r < -21, are mostly described by de Vaucouleurs profiles in all environments. For galaxies with M_r < -19, the fraction of de Vaucouleurs galaxies is a monotonically increasing function of local density, while the fraction of exponential galaxies is monotonically decreasing. For a fixed surface brightness profile type, apparent axis ratio is frequently correlated with environment. As the local density of galaxies increases, we find that for -20 < M_r < -18, galaxies of all profile types become slightly rounder, on average; for -22 < M_r < -20, galaxies with exponential profiles tend to become flatter, while galaxies with de Vaucouleurs profiles become rounder; for M_r < -22, galaxies with exponential profiles become flatter, while the de Vaucouleurs galaxies become rounder in their inner regions, yet exhibit no change in their outer regions. We comment on how the observed trends relate to the merger history of galaxies.

The Ages of Elliptical Galaxies from Mid‐Infrared Emission

The mid-infrared (10-20 μm) luminosity of elliptical galaxies is dominated by the integrated emission from circumstellar dust in red giant stars. As a single stellar population evolves, the rate of dusty mass loss from red giant stars decreases with time, so the mid-infrared luminosity should also decline with stellar age. To seek such a correlation, we have used archival Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) observations to determine surface brightness profiles and central fluxes at 15 μm in 17 early-type galaxies for which stellar ages have been determined from optical spectral indices. The radial surface brightness distributions at 15 μm generally follow the stellar de Vaucouleurs profile, as expected. We find that the surface brightness ratio μ15 μm/μI band is systematically higher in elliptical galaxies with ages 5 Gyr and in galaxies that exhibit evidence of recent mergers. Within the accuracy of our observations, μ15 μm/μI band shows no age dependence for ages 5 Gyr. The corresponding flux ratios F15 μm/FI band within apertures scaled to the effective radius (Re/8) are proportional to the μ15 μm/μI band ratios at larger galactic radii, indicating that no 15 μm emission is detected from central dust clouds visible in optical images in some of our sample galaxies. Emission at 15 μm is observed in noncentral massive clouds of dust and cold gas in NGC 1316, an elliptical galaxy that is thought to have had a recent merger. Recent Spitzer Space Telescope data also indicate the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission at 8 μm. Several ellipticals have extended regions of 15 μm emission that have no obvious counterparts at other frequencies.

The Dependence of Galaxy Shape on Luminosity and Surface Brightness Profile

For a sample of 96,951 galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 3, we study the distribution of apparent axis ratios as a function of r-band absolute magnitude and surface brightness profile type. We use the parameter fracDeV to quantify the profile type (fracDeV = 1 for a de Vaucouleurs profile; fracDeV = 0 for an exponential profile). When the apparent axis ratio q_{am} is estimated from the moments of the light distribution, the roundest galaxies are very bright (M_r \sim -23) de Vaucouleurs galaxies and the flattest are modestly bright (M_r \sim -18) exponential galaxies. When the apparent axis ratio q_{25} is estimated from the axis ratio of the 25 mag/arcsec^2 isophote, we find that de Vaucouleurs galaxies are flatter than exponential galaxies of the same absolute magnitude. For a given surface brightness profile type, very bright galaxies are rounder, on average, than fainter galaxies. We deconvolve the distributions of apparent axis ratios to find the distribution of the intrinsic short-to-long axis ratio gamma, assuming constant triaxiality T. For all profile types and luminosities, the distribution of apparent axis ratios is inconsistent with a population of oblate spheroids, but is usually consistent with a population of prolate spheroids. Bright galaxies with a de Vaucouleurs profile (M_r 0.9) have a distribution of q_{am} that is consistent with triaxiality in the range 0.4 < T < 0.8, with mean intrinsic axis ratio 0.66 < gamma < 0.69. The fainter de Vaucouleurs galaxies are best fit with prolate spheroids (T = 1) with mean axis ratio gamma = 0.51.

Nuclear Properties of a Sample of Nearby Spiral Galaxies fromHubble Space TelescopeSTIS Imaging

We present surface photometry for the central regions of a sample of 48 spiral galaxies (mostly unbarred and barred of types Sbc or Sc) observed with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope. Surface brightness profiles were derived and modeled with a Nuker law. We also analyzed archival Wide Field Planetary Camera~2 images with a larger field of view, available for 18 galaxies in our sample. We modeled the extracted bulge surface brightness profiles with an exponential, a de Vaucouleurs or a Sersic profile. In agreement with previous studies, we find that bulges of Sbc galaxies fall into two categories: bulges well described by an exponential profile and those well described by an de Vaucouleurs profile. Only one galaxy requires the use of a more general Sersic profile to properly describe the bulge. Nuclear photometrically distinct components are found in ~55% of the galaxies. For those that we classify as star clusters based on their resolved extent we find absolute magnitudes that are brighter on average than those previously identified in spiral galaxies. This might be due to a bias in our sample toward star forming galaxies, combined with a trend for star forming galaxies to host brighter central clusters.