Sb Galaxies Research Articles

Spectral study of starforming rings in S0 galaxies of Dorado group – NGC 1533 and NGC 1543

Abstract We have fulfilled a detailed long-slit spectroscopic analysis for two SB0 galaxies – NGC 1533 and NGC 1543, – belonging to the Dorado group. Our spectral data reveal asymmetric decoupled kinematics of the stars and ionised gas in these barred lenticular galaxies that give evidences for external origin of the gas in the rings. We have calculated the star formation rates in the rings by using the ultraviolet fluxes of the rings corrected for the foreground and intrinsic absorption; and we have estimated parameters of the stellar populations in the inner parts of the galaxies confirming that they are old – except the nucleus of NGC 1543, which demonstrates signatures of re-juvenation less than 5 Gyr ago.

Dark matter effects explanation with the torsion in the Minkowski space

Investigating rotation curves and the Tully–Fisher ratio within galaxies represents a central theme of extensive research and scientific interest. Despite several theoretical models, a comprehensive explanation of the observed correlation between galaxy types and their rotation curves remains elusive. This study endeavors to bridge this knowledge gap by delving into the discernible connection between the presence of dark matter and galaxy classification. By meticulously examining the gravitational field’s dependency on its source’s point symmetry, we introduce a novel theoretical framework that offers a coherent rationale for these empirical findings. Our proposed model explains the appearance of dark matter as a direct consequence of the reduction of point symmetry in gravitational systems. Neither arbitrary systems with a high mass density nor a perfectly spherically symmetric mass distribution give the observable effects of dark matter. Special attention was paid to the axial symmetry scenario as a reasonable approach for modeling the mass distribution in most galaxies. We thoroughly analyzed, showing strong agreement with experimental observations for dwarf, Sb, and Scd galaxies. Thus, our study provides a compelling theoretical foundation for elucidating the intricate interplay between galaxy types, rotation curves, and the presence of dark matter, shedding new light on the dynamics of the cosmos.

Starbursts driven by central gas compaction

ABSTRACT Starburst (SB) galaxies are a rare population of galaxies with star formation rates (SFRs) greatly exceeding those of the majority of star-forming galaxies with similar stellar mass. It is unclear whether these bursts are the result of either especially large gas reservoirs or enhanced efficiencies in converting gas into stars. Tidal torques resulting from gas-rich galaxy mergers are known to enhance the SFR by funnelling gas towards the centre. However, recent theoretical works show that mergers do not always trigger an SB and not all SB galaxies are interacting systems, raising the question of what drives an SB. We analyse a large sample of SB galaxies and a mass- and redshift-matched sample of control galaxies, drawn from the FIREbox cosmological volume at z = 0–1. We find that SB galaxies have both larger molecular gas fractions and shorter molecular depletion times than control galaxies, but similar total gas masses. Control galaxies evolve towards the SB regime by gas compaction in their central regions, over time-scales of ∼70 Myr, accompanied by an increase in the fraction of ultradense and molecular gas. The driving mechanism behind the SB varies depending on the mass of the galaxy. Massive ($M_\star \gtrsim 10^{10}~\rm {M}_\odot$) galaxies undergoing intense, long-lasting SBs are mostly driven by galaxy interactions. Conversely, SBs in non-interacting galaxies are often triggered by a global gravitational instability, which can result in a ‘breathing’ mode in low-mass galaxies.

Properties of barred galaxies with the environment

Context. Barred structures are widespread in a considerable fraction of galactic disks, spanning diverse environments and galaxy luminosities. The environment likely exerts a significant influence on bar formation, with tidal interactions leading to the emergence of elongated features resembling bars within galaxy disks. It is plausible that the structural parameters of bars resulting from tidal interactions in high-density galactic environments differ from those that formed through internal disk instabilities in isolated galaxies. To empirically test this scenario, a viable approach is to compare the structural parameters of bars in galaxies situated within distinct environments. Aims. The objective of this study is to study environmental effects on the properties of bars by conducting a comparison between the two key structural parameters of bars, namely strength and radius, in galaxies situated within the Virgo cluster and galaxies of comparable luminosities found in environments characterized by lower galaxy densities. Methods. We have collected data on the bar radius and bar strength for a sample of 36 SB0 and SBa galaxies located within the Virgo cluster. These galaxies exhibit a large range of magnitudes, with values ranging from Mr = −22 to Mr = −17. Additionally, we analyzed a sample of 46 field galaxies with similar morphologies and luminosity ranges. The measurements of bar parameters were conducted by employing Fourier decomposition on the r-band photometric images of the galaxies. Results. The analysis reveals that the bar radius exhibits a correlation with the galaxy luminosity, indicating that larger bars are typically found in more luminous galaxies. When comparing galaxies with fixed luminosities, the field galaxies display larger bar radii compared to those in the Virgo cluster. However, when the bar radius is scaled by the size of the galaxy, the disparity diminishes and the scaled bars in the Virgo cluster and the field exhibit similar sizes. This is because galaxies of similar luminosities tend to be larger in the field environment compared to the cluster and because the bars adapt to the disks in which they live. Regarding the bar strength, no significant differences were observed for bright galaxies (Mr < −19.5) between those located in the Virgo cluster and those in the field. In contrast, faint galaxies (Mr > −19.5) show stronger bars in the field than in the cluster. Conclusions. The findings of this study indicate that the size of galaxies is the parameter that is influenced by the environment, while the bar radius remains independent of the environment when scaled by the galaxy size. The findings of this study indicate that the environment influences the size of galaxies rather than the bar radius, which remains independent of the environment when scaled by the galaxy size. Regarding the bar strength, there is no influence of the environment for bright galaxies. However, bars in faint galaxies are weaker in the cluster environment. This could be explained by an enhancement of disk thickness in dense environments which is more efficient in faint galaxies. These results support the notion that the internal dynamics and intrinsic characteristics of galaxies play a dominant role in the formation and evolution of bars, regardless of the surrounding environment.

The Bar-Bulge Relation in Non-dwarf SB0 Galaxies in the Central Region of Coma Cluster

In this paper we explore the formation of bars and present the bulge and bar properties and their correlations for a sample of lenticular barred (SB0) and lenticular unbarred (S0) galaxies in the central region of the Coma Cluster using HST/ACS data. In our sample, we identified bar features using the luminosity profile decomposition software GALFIT. We classified the bulges based on Sérsic index and Kormendy relation. We found that the average mass of the bulge in SB0 galaxies is 1.48 × 1010 M ☉ whereas the average mass of the bulge in S0 galaxies is 4.3 × 1010 M ☉. We observe that SB0 galaxies show lower bulge concentration, low mass and also smaller B/T values compared to S0 galaxies. Using the Kormendy relation, we found that among the lenticular barred galaxies, 82% have classical bulges and 18% have pseudo bulges. These classical bulges have low masses compared to the classical bulges of unbarred galaxies. S0, galaxies with massive classical bulges do not host bars. We also found that for all SB0s the bulge effective radius is less than the bar effective radius. SB0 galaxies with classical bulges suggest that the bar may have formed by mergers.

A search for missing radio sources at z ≳ 4 using Lyman dropouts

ABSTRACT Using the Lyman Dropout technique, we identify 148 candidate radio sources at z ≳ 4–7 from the 887.5 MHz Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) observations of the GAMA23 field. About 112 radio sources are currently known beyond redshift z ∼ 4. However, simulations predict that hundreds of thousands of radio sources exist in that redshift range, many of which are probably in existing radio catalogues, but do not have measured redshifts, either because their optical emission is too faint or because of the lack of techniques that can identify candidate high-redshift radio sources (HzRSs). Our study addresses these issues using the Lyman Dropout search technique. This newly built sample probes radio luminosities that are 1–2 orders of magnitude fainter than known radio-active galactic nuclei (AGN) at similar redshifts, thanks to ASKAP’s sensitivity. We investigate the physical origin of radio emission in our sample using a set of diagnostics: (i) radio luminosity at 1.4 GHz, (ii) 1.4 GHz to 3.4 μm flux density ratio, (iii) Far-IR detection, (iv) WISE colour, and (v) SED modelling. The radio/IR analysis has shown that the majority of radio emission in the faint and bright end of our sample’s 887.5 MHz flux density distribution originates from AGN activity. Furthermore, ∼10 per cent of our sample are found to have a 250 μm detection, suggesting a composite system. This suggests that some high-z radio-AGNs are hosted by SB galaxies in contrast to low-z radio-AGNs, which are usually hosted by quiescent elliptical galaxies.

Vibrationally excited HC3N emission in NGC 1068: tracing the recent star formation in the starburst ring

ABSTRACT Using the ALMA data, we have studied the HC3N and continuum emission in the starburst pseudo-ring (SB pseudo-ring) and the circumnuclear disc (CND) of the SB/active galactic nucleus (AGN) composite galaxy NGC 1068. We have detected emission from vibrationally excited HC3N (HC3N*) only towards one star-forming region of the SB pseudo-ring. Remarkably, HC3N* was not detected towards the CND despite its large HC3N v = 0 column density. From local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) and non-LTE modelling of HC3N*, we obtained a dust temperature (Tdust) of ∼250 K and a density $(n_{\text{H}_2}) \text{ of }6\times 10^5$ cm−3 for this star-forming region. The estimated infrared (IR) luminosity of 5.8 × 108 L⊙ is typical of proto-superstar clusters (proto-SSCs) observed in the SB galaxy NGC 253. We use the continuum emissions at 147 and 350 GHz, along with CO and Pa α, to estimate the ages of other 14 SSCs in the SB pseudo-ring. We find the SSCs to be associated with the region connecting the nuclear bar with the SB pseudo-ring, supporting the inflow scenario. For the CND, our analysis yields Tdust ≤ 100 K and $n_{\text{H}_2}\sim (3\!-\!6)\times 10^5$ cm−3. The very different dust temperatures found for the CND and the proto-SSC indicate that, while the dust in the proto-SSC is being efficiently heated from the inside by the radiation from massive protostars, the CND is being heated externally by the AGN, which in the IR optically thin case can only heat the dust to 56 K. We discuss the implications of the non-detection of HC3N* near the luminous AGN in NGC 1068 on the interpretation of the HC3N* emission observed in the SB/AGN composite galaxies NGC 4418 and Arp 220.

The physical properties and evolution of the interacting system AM 1204−292

ABSTRACT We investigate interaction effects in the stellar and gas kinematics, stellar population, and ionized gas properties of the interacting galaxy pair AM 1204−292,composed of NGC 4105 and NGC 4106. The data consist of long-slit spectra in the range 3000–7050 Å. The massive E3 galaxy NGC 4105 presents a flat stellar velocity profile, while the ionized gas is in strong rotation, suggesting an external origin. Its companion, NGC 4106, shows asymmetries in the radial velocity field, likely due to the interaction. The dynamics of the interacting pair were modelled using the P-Gadget3 treepm/sph code, from which we show that the system has just passed the first perigalacticum, which triggered an outbreak of star formation, currently at full maximum. We characterized the stellar population properties using the stellar population synthesis code starlight and, on average, both galaxies are predominantly composed of old stellar populations. NGC 4105 has a slightly negative age gradient, comparable with that of the most massive elliptical galaxies, but a steeper metallicity gradient. The SB0 galaxy NGC 4106 presents smaller radial variations in both age and metallicity in comparison with intermediate-mass early-type galaxies. These gradients have not been disturbed by interaction, since the star formation happened very recently and was not extensive in mass. Electron density estimates for the pair are systematically higher than those obtained in isolated galaxies. The central O/H abundances were obtained from photoionization models in combination with emission-line ratios, which resulted in 12 + log(O/H) = 9.03 ± 0.02 and 12 + log(O/H) = 8.69 ± 0.05 for NGC 4105 and NGC 4106, respectively.

The CALIFA view on stellar angular momentum across the Hubble sequence

We present the apparent stellar angular momentum over the optical extent of 300 galaxies across the Hubble sequence using integral-field spectroscopic (IFS) data from the CALIFA survey. Adopting the same λR parameter previously used to distinguish between slow and fast rotating early-type (elliptical and lenticular) galaxies, we show that spiral galaxies are almost all fast rotators, as expected. Given the extent of our data, we provide relations for λR measured in different apertures (e.g. fractions of the effective radius: 0.5 Re, Re, 2 Re), including conversions to long-slit 1D apertures. Our sample displays a wide range of λRe values, consistent with previous IFS studies. The fastest rotators are dominated by relatively massive and highly star-forming Sb galaxies, which preferentially reside in the main star-forming sequence. These galaxies reach λRe values of ∼0.85, and they are the largest galaxies at a given mass, while also displaying some of the strongest stellar population gradients. Compared to the population of S0 galaxies, our findings suggest that fading may not be the dominant mechanism transforming spirals into lenticulars. Interestingly, we find that λRe decreases for late-type Sc and Sd spiral galaxies, with values that occasionally set them in the slow-rotator regime. While for some of them this can be explained by their irregular morphologies and/or face-on configurations, others are edge-on systems with no signs of significant dust obscuration. The latter are typically at the low-mass end, but this does not explain their location in the classical (V/σ, ε) and (λRe, ε) diagrams. Our initial investigations, based on dynamical models, suggest that these are dynamically hot disks, probably influenced by the observed important fraction of dark matter within Re.

CO Multi-line Imaging of Nearby Galaxies (COMING). VI. Radial variations in star formation efficiency

Abstract We examined radial variations in molecular-gas based star formation efficiency (SFE), which is defined as star formation rate per unit molecular gas mass, for 80 galaxies selected from the CO Multi-line Imaging of Nearby Galaxies project (Sorai et al. 2019, PASJ, 71, S14). The radial variations in SFE for individual galaxies are typically a factor of 2–3, which suggests that SFE is nearly constant along the galactocentric radius. We found an averaged SFE in 80 galaxies of (1.69 ± 1.1) × 10−9 yr−1, which is consistent with Leroy et al. (2008, AJ, 136, 2782) if we consider the contribution of helium to the molecular gas mass evaluation and the difference in the assumed initial mass function between the two studies. We compared SFE among different morphological (i.e., SA, SAB, and SB) types, and found that SFE within the inner radii (r/r25 < 0.3, where r25 is the B-band isophotal radius at 25 mag arcsec−2) of SB galaxies is slightly higher than that of SA and SAB galaxies. This trend can be partly explained by the dependence of SFE on global stellar mass, which probably relates to the CO-to-H2 conversion factor through the metallicity. For two representative SB galaxies in our sample, NGC 3367 and NGC 7479, the ellipse of r/r25 = 0.3 seems to cover not only the central region but also the inner part of the disk, mainly the bar. These two galaxies show higher SFE in the bar than in the spiral arms. However, we found an opposite trend in NGC 4303; SFE is lower in the bar than in the spiral arms, which is consistent with earlier studies (e.g., Momose et al. 2010, ApJ, 721, 383). These results suggest a diversity of star formation activities in the bar.

CO Multi-line Imaging of Nearby Galaxies (COMING). VII. Fourier decomposition of molecular gas velocity fields and bar pattern speed

Abstract The 12CO (J = 1→0) velocity fields of a sample of 20 nearby spiral galaxies, selected from the CO Multi-line Imaging of Nearby Galaxies (COMING) legacy project of Nobeyama Radio Observatory, have been analyzed by Fourier decomposition to determine their basic kinematic properties, such as circular and noncircular velocities. On average, the investigated barred (SAB and SB) galaxies exhibit a ratio of noncircular to circular velocities of molecular gas larger by a factor of 1.5–2 than non-barred (SA) spiral galaxies at radii within the bar semimajor axis ab at 1 kpc resolution, with a maximum at a radius of R/ab ≈ 0.3. Residual velocity field images, created by subtracting model velocity fields from the data, reveal that this trend is caused by kpc-scale streaming motions of molecular gas in the bar region. Applying a new method based on radial velocity reversal, we estimated the corotation radius RCR and bar pattern speed Ωb in seven SAB and SB systems. The ratio of the corotation to bar radius is found to be in a range of $\mathcal {R}\equiv R_\mathrm{CR}/a_\mathrm{b} \approx 0.8$–1.6, suggesting that intermediate (SBb–SBc), luminous barred spiral galaxies host fast and slow rotator bars. Tentative negative correlations are found for Ωb vs. ab and Ωb vs. total stellar mass M*, indicating that bars in massive disks are larger and rotate slower, possibly a consequence of angular momentum transfer. The kinematic properties of SAB and SB galaxies, derived from Fourier decomposition, are compared with recent numerical simulations that incorporate various rotation curve models and galaxy interactions.

Local starburst galaxies and their descendants

Despite strong interest in the starburst (hereafter SB) phenomenon, the concept remains ill-defined. We use a strict definition of SB to examine the statistical properties of local SB and post-starburst (hereafter PB) galaxies. We also seek relationships to active galaxies. Potential SB galaxies are selected from the SDSS DR7 and their stellar content is analysed. We apply an age dependent dust attenuation correction and derive star formation rates (SFR), ages and masses of the young and old populations. The photometric masses nicely agree with dynamical masses derived from the H-alpha emission line width. To select SB galaxies, we use the birthrate parameter b=SFR/<SFR>, requiring b>=3. The PB sample is selected from the citerion EW(Hdelta_abs)>=6 A. Only 1% of star-forming galaxies are found to be SB galaxies. They contribute 3-6% to the stellar production and are therefore unimportant for the local star formation activity. The median SB age is 70 Myr, roughly independent of mass. The b-parameter strongly depends on burst age. Values close to b=60 are found at ages ~10 Myr, while almost no SBs are found at ages >1 Gyr. The median baryonic burst mass fraction of sub-L* galaxies is 5%, decreasing slowly with mass. The median mass fraction of the recent burst in the PB sample is 5-10%. The age-mass distribution of the progenitors of the PBs is bimodal with a break at log(M)~10.6 above which the ages are doubled. The SB and PB luminosity functions (hereafter LFs) follow each other closely until M_r~-21, when AGNs begin to dominate. The PB LF continues to follow the AGN LF while SB loose significance. This suggests that the number of luminous SBs is underestimated by about one dex at high luminosities, due to large amounts of dust and/or AGN blending. It also indicates that the SB phase preceded the AGN phase. We also discuss the conditions for global gas outflow caused by stellar feedback.

The young nuclear stellar disc in the SB0 galaxy NGC 1023

Small kinematically-decoupled stellar discs with scalelengths of a few tens of parsec are known to reside in the centre of galaxies. Different mechanisms have been proposed to explain how they form, including gas dissipation and merging of globular clusters. Using archival Hubble Space Telescope imaging and ground-based integral-field spectroscopy, we investigated the structure and stellar populations of the nuclear stellar disc hosted in the interacting SB0 galaxy NGC 1023. The stars of the nuclear disc are remarkably younger and more metal rich with respect to the host bulge. These findings support a scenario in which the nuclear disc is the end result of star formation in metal enriched gas piled up in the galaxy centre. The gas can be of either internal or external origin, i.e. from either the main disc of NGC 1023 or the nearby satellite galaxy NGC 1023A. The dissipationless formation of the nuclear disc from already formed stars, through the migration and accretion of star clusters into the galactic centre is rejected.

The CALIFA survey across the Hubble sequence

This paper characterizes the radial structure of stellar population properties of galaxies in the nearby universe, based on 300 galaxies from the CALIFA survey. The sample covers a wide range of Hubble types, and galaxy stellar mass. We apply the spectral synthesis techniques to recover the stellar mass surface density, stellar extinction, light and mass-weighted ages, and mass-weighted metallicity, for each spatial resolution element in our target galaxies. To study mean trends with overall galaxy properties, the individual radial profiles are stacked in seven bins of galaxy morphology. We confirm that more massive galaxies are more compact, older, more metal rich, and less reddened by dust. Additionally, we find that these trends are preserved spatially with the radial distance to the nucleus. Deviations from these relations appear correlated with Hubble type: earlier types are more compact, older, and more metal rich for a given mass, which evidences that quenching is related to morphology, but not driven by mass. Negative gradients of ages are consistent with an inside-out growth of galaxies, with the largest ages gradients in Sb-Sbc galaxies. Further, the mean stellar ages of disks and bulges are correlated, with disks covering a wider range of ages, and late type spirals hosting younger disks. The gradients in stellar mass surface density depend mostly on stellar mass, in the sense that more massive galaxies are more centrally concentrated. There is a secondary correlation in the sense that at the same mass early type galaxies have steeper gradients. We find mildly negative metallicity gradients, shallower than predicted from models of galaxy evolution in isolation. The largest gradients occur in Sb galaxies. Overall we conclude that quenching processes act in manners that are independent of mass, while metallicity and galaxy structure are influenced by mass-dependent processes.

STELLAR ORBITAL STUDIES IN NORMAL SPIRAL GALAXIES. II. RESTRICTIONS ON STRUCTURAL AND DYNAMICAL PARAMETERS ON SPIRAL ARMS

Making use of a set of detailed potential models for normal spiral galaxies, we analyze the disk stellar orbital dynamics as the structural and dynamical parameters of the spiral arms (mass, pattern speed and pitch angle) are gradually modified. With this comprehensive study of ordered and chaotic behavior, we constructed an assemblage of orbitally supported galactic models and plausible parameters for orbitally self-consistent spiral arms models. We find that, to maintain orbital support for the spiral arms, the spiral arm mass, M$_{sp}$, must decrease with the increase of the pitch angle, $i$; if $i$ is smaller than $\sim10\deg$, M$_{sp}$ can be as large as $\sim7\%$, $\sim6\%$, $\sim5\%$ of the disk mass, for Sa, Sb, and Sc galaxies, respectively. If $i$ increases up to $\sim25\deg$, the maximum M$_{sp}$ is $\sim1\%$ of the disk mass independently in this case of morphological type. For values larger than these limits, spiral arms would likely act as transient features. Regarding the limits posed by extreme chaotic behavior, we find a strong restriction on the maximum plausible values of spiral arms parameters on disk galaxies beyond which, chaotic behavior becomes pervasive. We find that for $i$ smaller than $\sim20\deg$, $\sim25\deg$, $\sim30\deg$, for Sa, Sb, and Sc galaxies, respectively, M$_{sp}$ can go up to $\sim10\%$, of the mass of the disk. If the corresponding $i$ is around $\sim40\deg$, $\sim45\deg$, $\sim50\deg$, M$_{sp}$ is $\sim1\%$, $\sim2\%$, $\sim3\%$ of the mass of the disk. Beyond these values, chaos dominates phase space, destroying the main periodic and the neighboring quasi-periodic orbits.

Disk mass and disk heating in the spiral galaxy NGC 3223

We present the stellar and gaseous kinematics of an Sb galaxy, NGC 3223, with the aim of determining the vertical and radial stellar velocity dispersion as a function of radius, which can help to constrain disk heating theories. Together with the observed NIR photometry, the vertical velocity dispersion is also used to determine the stellar mass-to-light (M/L) ratio, typically one of the largest uncertainties when deriving the dark matter distribution from the observed rotation curve. We find a vertical-to-radial velocity dispersion ratio of sigma_z/sigma_R=1.21+-0.14, significantly higher than expectations from known correlations, and a weakly-constrained Ks-band stellar M/L ratio in the range 0.5-1.7, at the high end of (but consistent with) the predictions of stellar population synthesis models. Such a weak constraint on the stellar M/L ratio, however, does not allow us to securely determine the dark matter density distribution. To achieve this, either a statistical approach or additional data (e.g. integral-field unit) are needed.

Multimolecule ALMA observations toward the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 1097

The nearby Sy 1 galaxy NGC 1097 represents an ideal laboratory to explore the molecular chemistry in the presence and surroundings of an active galactic nucleus. Exploring the distribution of different molecular species allows us to understand the physical processes affecting the ISM both in the AGN vicinity as well as in the outer star forming molecular ring. We carried out 3 mm ALMA observations of HCN, HCO+, CCH, CS, HNCO, SiO, HC3N, and SO as well as the 13C isotopologues. All species were imaged over the central 2 kpc (~30") of the galaxy at a resolution of ~2.2"x1.5 (150 pc x 100 pc). HCO+ and CS appear to be slightly enhanced in the star forming ring. CCH, showing the largest variations across NGC 1097, is suggested to be a good tracer of both obscured and early stage star formation. HNCO, SiO and HC3N are significantly enhanced in the inner circumnuclear disk surrounding the AGN. Differences in the molecular abundances are observed between the star forming ring and the inner circumnuclear disk. We conclude that the HCN/HCO+ and HCN/CS differences observed between AGN dominated and starburst galaxies are not due to a HCN enhancement due to X-rays, but rather this enhancement is produced by shocked material at distances of 200 pc from the AGN. Additionally we claim the lower HCN/CS to be a combination of a small under-abundance of CS in AGNs together with excitation effects, where a high dense gas component (~10^6 cm^-3) may be more prominent in SB galaxies. However the most promising are the differences found among the dense gas tracers which, at our modest spatial resolution, seem to outline the physical structure of the molecular disk around the AGN. In this picture, HNCO probes the well shielded gas in the disk, surrounding the dense material moderately exposed to X-ray radiation traced by HC3N. Finally SiO might be the innermost molecule in the disk structure.

ENVIRONMENT DEPENDENCE OF DISK MORPHOLOGY OF SPIRAL GALAXIES

We analyze the dependence of disk morphology (arm class, Hubble type, bar type) of nearby spiral galaxies on the galaxy environment by using local background density (<TEX>${\Sigma}_n$</TEX>), projected distance (<TEX>$r_p$</TEX>), and tidal index (T I) as measures of the environment. There is a strong dependence of arm class and Hubble type on the galaxy environment, while the bar type exhibits a weak dependence with a high frequency of SB galaxies in high density regions. Grand design fractions and early-type fractions increase with increasing <TEX>${\Sigma}_n$</TEX>, <TEX>$1/r_p$</TEX>, and T I, while fractions of flocculent spirals and late-type spirals decrease. Multiple-arm and intermediate-type spirals exhibit nearly constant fractions with weak trends similar to grand design and early-type spirals. While bar types show only a marginal dependence on <TEX>${\Sigma}_n$</TEX>, they show a fairly clear dependence on <TEX>$r_p$</TEX> with a high frequency of SB galaxies at small <TEX>$r_p$</TEX>. The arm class also exhibits a stronger correlation with <TEX>$r_p$</TEX> than <TEX>${\Sigma}_n$</TEX> and T I, whereas the Hubble type exhibits similar correlations with <TEX>${\Sigma}_n$</TEX> and <TEX>$r_p$</TEX>. This suggests that the arm class is mostly affected by the nearest neighbor while the Hubble type is affected by the local densities contributed by neighboring galaxies as well as the nearest neighbor.

STELLAR ORBITAL STUDIES IN NORMAL SPIRAL GALAXIES. I. RESTRICTIONS TO THE PITCH ANGLE

We built a family of non-axisymmetric potential models for normal non-barred or weakly-barred spiral galaxies as defined in the simplest classification of galaxies: the Hubble sequence. For this purpose a three-dimensional self-gravitating model for spiral arms PERLAS is superimposed to the galactic axisymmetric potentials. We analyze the stellar dynamics varying only the pitch angle of the spiral arms, from 4$\deg$ to 40$\deg$, for an Sa galaxy, from 8$\deg$ to 45$\deg$, for an Sb galaxy, and from 10$\deg$ to 60$\deg$, for an Sc galaxy. Self-consistency is indirectly tested through periodic orbital analysis, and through density response studies for each morphological type. Based on ordered behavior, periodic orbits studies show that for pitch angles up to approximately $15\deg$, $18\deg$, and $20\deg$ for Sa, Sb and Sc galaxies, respectively, the density response supports the spiral arms potential, a requisite for the existence of a long-lasting large-scale spiral structure. Beyond those limits, the density response tends to "avoid" the potential imposed by mantaining lower pitch angles in the density response; in that case the spiral arms may be explained as transient features rather than long-lasting large-scale structures. In a second limit, from a phase space orbital study based on chaotic behavior, we found that for pitch angles larger than $\sim30\deg$, $\sim40\deg$ and $\sim50\deg$ for Sa, Sb, and Sc galaxies, respectively, chaotic orbits dominate all phase space prograde region that surrounds the periodic orbits sculpting the spiral arms and even destroying them. This result seems to be in good agreement with observations of pitch angles in typical isolated normal spiral galaxies.

SPIRAL ARM MORPHOLOGY OF NEARBY GALAXIES

We analyze the spiral structure of 1725 nearby spiral galaxies with redshift less than 0.02. We use the color images provided by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We determine the arm classes (grand design, multiple-arm, flocculent) and the broad Hubble types (early, intermediate, late) as well as the bar types (SA, SAB, SB) by visual inspection. We find that flocculent galaxies are mostly of late Hubble type while multiple-arm galaxies are likely to be of early Hubble type. The fractional distribution of grand design galaxies is nearly constant along the Hubble type. The dependence of arm class on bar type is not as strong as that of the Hubble type. However, there is about a three times larger fraction of grand design spirals in SB galaxies than in SA galaxies, with nearly constant fractions of multiple-arm galaxies. However, if we consider the Hubble type and bar type together, grand design spirals are more frequent in early types than in late types for SA and SAB galaxies, while they are almost constant along the Hubble type for SB galaxies. There are clear correlations between spiral structures and the local background density: strongly barred, early-type, grand design spirals favor high-density regions, while non-barred, late-type, flocculent galaxies are likely to be found in low-density regions.