arXiv subjects

A. Pizzella

Publications and source records attributed to A. Pizzella.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2005

NGC 7679: an anomalous, composite Seyfert 1 galaxy whose, X-ray luminous AGN vanishes at optical wavelengths

Morphological disturbances and gas kinematics of the SB0 galaxy NGC 7679=Arp 216 are investigated to get clues to the history of this highly composite object, where AGN and starburst signatures dominate each other in the X-ray and optical/IR regime, respectively. Perturbations of the ionized gas velocity field appear quite mild within 15'' (~5 kpc) from the center, so as it can be straightforwardly modeled as a circularly rotating disk. On the contrary, outside that radius, significant disturbances show up. In particular, the eastern distorted arm as well as the huge neutral hydrogen bridge connecting NGC 7679 with the nearby Seyfert spiral NGC 7682 unambiguously represent the vestige of a close encounter of the two objects dating back ~500 Myr ago. The relationship of such past event with the much more recent, centrally located starburst (not older than 20 Myr) cannot be easily established. Altogether, the classification of NGC 7679, turns out to be less extreme than that proposed in the past, being simply a (disturbed) galaxy where starburst and AGN activity cohexist with a starburst dominating the bolometric luminosity.

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arXiv2005

Spiral galaxies with a central plateau in the gas velocity curve along the major axis

We present the minor-axis kinematics of ionized gas and stars for a sample of 5 spiral galaxies, which are characterized by either a zero or a shallow gas velocity gradient along their major axis. The asymmetric velocity profiles observed along the minor axis of NGC 4064 and NGC 4189 can be explained as due to the presence of a bar. This is also the case of NGC 4178 where the innermost portion of the gaseous disk is nearly face on. In NGC 4424 and NGC 4941, we measured non-zero gas velocities only in the central regions along the minor axis and gas velocities drop to zero at larger radii. This kinematic feature is suggestive of the presence of an orthogonally-rotating gaseous component which is confined in the innermost regions (i.e. an inner polar disk) to be confirmed with integral-field spectroscopy.

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arXiv2005

On the relation between circular velocity and central velocity dispersion in high and low surface brightness galaxies

In order to investigate the correlation between the circular velocity Vc and the central velocity dispersion of the spheroidal component sigma_c, we analyzed these quantities for a sample of 40 high surface brightness disc galaxies (hereafter HSB), 8 giant low surface brightness spiral galaxies (hereafter LSB), and 24 elliptical galaxies characterized by flat rotation curves. We find that the Vc-sigma_c relation is descri ed by a linear law out to velocity dispersions as low as sigma_c~50km/s, while in previous works a power law was adopted for galaxies with sigma_c>80k/ms. Elliptical galaxies with Vc based on dynamical models or directly derived from the HI rotation curves follow the same relation as the HSB galaxies in the Vc-sigma_c plane. On the contrary, the LSB galaxies follow a different relation, since most of them show either higher Vc (or lower sigma_c) with respect to the HSB galaxies. This argues against the relevance of baryon collapse in the radial density profile of the dark matter haloes of LSB galaxies. (abridged)

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arXiv2004

Nuclear stellar discs in low-luminosity elliptical galaxies: NGC 4458 and NGC 4478

We present the detection of nuclear stellar discs in the low-luminosity elliptical galaxies NGC 4458 and NGC 4478, which are known to host a kinematically-decoupled core. Using archival HST imaging, and available absorption line-strength index data based on ground-based spectroscopy, we investigate the photometric parameters and the properties of the stellar populations of these central structures. Their scale length, h, and face-on central surface brightness, mu_0^c, fit on mu_0^c-h relation for galaxy discs. For NGC 4458 these parameters are typical for nuclear discs, while the same quantities for NGC 4478 lie between those of nuclear discs and the discs of discy ellipticals. We present Lick/IDS absorption line-strength measurements of Hbeta, Mgb, along the major and minor axes of the galaxies. We model these data with simple stellar populations that account for the alpha/Fe overabundance. The counter-rotating central disc of NGC 4458 is found to have similar properties to the decoupled cores of bright ellipticals. This galaxy has been found to be uniformly old despite being counter-rotating. In contrast, the cold central disc of NGC 4478 is younger, richer in metals and less overabundant than the main body of the galaxy. This points to a prolonged star formation history, typical of an undisturbed disc-like, gas-rich (possibly pre-enriched) structure.

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arXiv2004

Super massive black holes in spiral galaxies: HST/STIS observations for 3 new objects

We present long-slit HST/STIS measurements of the ionized-gas kinematics in the nucleus of three disk galaxies, namely NGC 2179, NGC 4343, NGC 4435. The sample galaxies have been selected on the basis of their ground-based spectroscopy, for displaying a strong central velocity gradient for the ionized gas, which is consistent with the presence of a circum nuclear keplerian disk (CNKD, Bertola et al. 1998; Funes et al. 2002) rotating around a super massive black hole (SMBH). For each target galaxy we obtained the H_alpha and [NII] 6583 AA kinematics along the major axis and two 0"25 parallel offset positions. Out of three objects only NGC 4435 turned out to have a disk of ionized gas in regular motion and a regular dust-lane morphology. Preliminary modeling indicates a SMBH mass one order of magnitude lower than the one expected from the M-sigma relation for galaxies (Ferrarese & Merritt 2000; Gebhardt et al. 2000).

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arXiv2004

Ionized gas and stellar kinematics of seventeen nearby spiral galaxies

Ionized gas and stellar kinematics have been measured along the major axes of seventeen nearby spiral galaxies of intermediate to late morphological type. We discuss the properties of each sample galaxy distinguishing between those characterized by regular or peculiar kinematics. In most of the observed galaxies ionized gas rotates more rapidly than stars and have a lower velocity dispersion, as is to be expected if the gas is confined in the disc and supported by rotation while the stars are mostly supported by dynamical pressure. In a few objects, gas and stars show almost the same rotational velocity and low velocity dispersion, suggesting that their motion is dominated by rotation. Incorporating the spiral galaxies studied by Bertola et al. (1996), Corsini et al. (1999, 2003) and Vega Beltran et al. (2001) we have compiled a sample of 50 S0/a-Scd galaxies, for which the major-axis kinematics of the ionized gas and stars have been obtained with the same spatial (~1'') and spectral (~50km/s) resolution, and measured with the same analysis techniques. This allowed us to address the frequency of counterrotation in spiral galaxies. It turns out that less than 12% and less than 8% (at the 95% confidence level) of the sample galaxies host a counterrotating gaseous and stellar disc, respectively. The comparison with S0 galaxies suggests that the retrograde acquisition of small amounts of external gas gives rise to counterrotating gaseous discs only in gas-poor S0s, while in gas-rich spirals the newly acquired gas is swept away by the pre-existing gas. Counterrotating gaseous and stellar discs in spirals are formed only from the retrograde acquisition of large amounts of gas exceeding that of pre-existing gas, and subsequent star formation, respectively.

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arXiv2004

The V_c-sigma_c relation in high and low surface brightness galaxies

We investigate the relation between the asymptotic circular velocity, V_c, and the central stellar velocity dispersion, sigma_c, in galaxies. We consider a new sample of high surface brightness spiral galaxies (HSB), low surface brightness spiral galaxies (LSB), and elliptical galaxies with HI-based V_c measurements. We find that: 1) elliptical galaxies with HI measurements fit well within the relation; 2) a linear law can reproduce the data as well as a power law (used in previous works) even for galaxies with sigma_c < 70 km/s; 3) LSB galaxies, considered for the first time with this respect, seem to behave differently, showing either larger V_c values or smaller sigma_c values.

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arXiv2003

Minor-axis velocity gradients in disk galaxies

We present the ionized-gas kinematics and photometry of a sample of 4 spiral galaxies which are characterized by a zero-velocity plateau along the major axis and a velocity gradient along the minor axis, respectively. By combining these new kinematical data with those available in the literature for the ionized-gas component of the S0s and spirals listed in the Revised Shapley-Ames Catalog of Bright Galaxies we realized that about 50% of unbarred galaxies show a remarkable gas velocity gradient along the optical minor axis. This fraction rises to about 60% if we include unbarred galaxies with an irregular velocity profile along the minor axis. This phenomenon is observed all along the Hubble sequence of disk galaxies, and it is particularly frequent in early-type spirals. Since minor-axis velocity gradients are unexpected if the gas is moving onto circular orbits in a disk coplanar to the stellar one, we conclude that non-circular and off-plane gas motions are not rare in the inner regions of disk galaxies.

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arXiv2003

The sigma_c-V_c correlation in high and low surface brightness galaxies

We investigate the relation between the central velocity dispersion, sigma_0, and the circular velocity, V_c, in galaxies. In addition to previously available data, we consider an observationally homogeneus sample of 52 high surface brightness and 11 low surface brightness spiral galaxies. We performed a straight line regression analysis in a linear scale, finding a good fit, also for low sigma_0 galaxies, always rejected in the previous studies. Low surface brightness galaxies seem to behave differently, showing either higher values of V_c or lower values of sigma_0 with respect to their high surface brightness counterparts.

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arXiv2003

Central DM density cuspiness in LSB's: a stellar kinematics approach

We present preliminary results from spectroscopic observations of a sample of 11 low surface brightness galaxies (LSB). We measured the stellar and gaseous kinematics along their major and minor axes. Such information will allow us to accurately investigate the dark matter (DM) content within their optical regions, providing further constraints on the predictions of standard CDM models. Although dynamical modeling is still in progress, our observations already show that the derived stellar kinematics is more regular than the ionized gas one, which often shows evidence for non-circular and asymmetric motions.

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arXiv2003

Minor-axis velocity gradients in spirals and the case of inner polar disks

We measured the ionized-gas and stellar kinematics along the major and minor axis of a sample of 10 early-type spirals. Much to our surprise we found a remarkable gas velocity gradient along the minor axis of 8 of them. According to the kinematic features observed in their ionized-gas velocity fields, we divide our sample galaxies in three classes of objects. (i) NGC 4984, NGC 7213, and NGC 7377 show an overall velocity curve along the minor axis without zero-velocity points, out to the last measured radius, which is interpreted as due to the warped structure of the gaseous disk. (ii) NGC 3885, NGC 4224, and NGC 4586 are characterized by a velocity gradient along both major and minor axis, although non-zero velocities along the minor axis are confined to the central regions. Such gas kinematics have been explained as being due to non-circular motions induced by a triaxial potential. (iii) NGC 2855 and NGC 7049 show a change of slope of the velocity gradient measured along the major axis (which is shallower in the center and steeper away from the nucleus), as well as non-zero gas velocities in the central regions of the minor axis. This has been attributed to the presence of a kinematically-decoupled gaseous component in orthogonal rotation with respect to the galaxy disk, namely an inner polar disk. The case and origin of inner polar disks are discussed and the list of their host galaxies is presented.

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arXiv2002

Position-velocity diagrams of ionized gas in the inner regions of disk galaxies

We use long-slit spectroscopy along the major axis of a sample of 23 nearby disk galaxies to study the kinematic properties of the ionized-gas component in their inner regions. For each galaxy, we derive the position-velocity diagram of the ionized gas from its emission lines. We discuss the variety of shapes observed in such position-velocity diagrams by comparing the gas velocity gradient, velocity dispersion and integrated flux measured in the inner (r +/-1'') and outer regions (r +/-4''). This kind of analysis allows the identification of galaxies which are good candidates to host a circumnuclear Keplerian gaseous disk rotating around a central mass concentration, and to follow up with Hubble Space Telescope observations.

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arXiv2002

Nuclear Stellar Disks in Spiral Galaxies

We report evidence for nuclear stellar disks in 3 early-type spirals, namely NGC 1425, NGC 3898 and NGC 4698, revealed by WFPC2/F606W images out of a sample of 38 spiral galaxies, selected from the Hubble Space Telescope Data Archive. Adopting the photometric method introduced by Scorza & Bender we derived their central surface brightness and scalelength by assuming them to be infinitesimally thin exponential disks. No nuclear disk was found in barred galaxies or galaxies of Hubble type later than Sb. The external origin of the disk in NGC 4698 is strongly suggested by its orthogonal geometrical decoupling with respect to the host galaxy.

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arXiv2001

The Orthogonal Gaseous Kinematical Decoupling in the Sa Spiral NGC 2855

We present major and minor-axis kinematics of stars and ionized gas as well as narrow and broad-band surface photometry of the Sa spiral NGC 2855. In the nuclear regions of this unbarred and apparently undisturbed spiral galaxy the gas is rotating perpendicularly to the galaxy disk. We suggest that this kinematically-decoupled component is the signature of an acquisition process in the history of this galaxy.

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arXiv2001

Kinematic properties of gas and stars in 20 disc galaxies

Ionized gas and stellar kinematical parameters have been measured along the major axis of 20 nearby disc galaxies. We discuss the properties of each sample galaxy distinguishing between those characterized by regular or peculiar kinematics. In early-type disc galaxies ionized gas tends to rotate faster than stars and to have a lower velocity dispersion, whereas in late-type spirals gas and stars show almost the same rotation velocities and velocity dispersions. Incorporating the early-type disc galaxies studied by Bertola et al. (1995), Fisher (1997) and Corsini et al. (1999), we have compiled a sample of some 40 galaxies for which the major-axis radial profiles of both the stellar and gaseous components have been measured. The value of the stellar velocity dispersion measured at Re/4 turns out to be strongly correlated with the galaxy morphological type, while the gaseous velocity dispersion is not and sometimes takes values above the range expected from thermal motions or small-scale turbulence.

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arXiv2000

Modelling gaseous and stellar kinematics in the disc galaxies NGC 772, NGC 3898, and NGC 7782

We present V-band surface photometry and major-axis kinematics of stars and ionized gas of three early-type spiral galaxies, namely NGC 772, NGC 3898 and NGC 7782. For each galaxy we present a self-consistent Jeans model for the stellar kinematics, adopting the light distribution of bulge and disc derived by means of a two-dimensional parametric photometric decomposition. This allowed us to investigate the presence of non-circular gas motions, and derive the mass distribution of luminous and dark matter in these objects. NGC 772 and NGC 7782 have apparently normal kinematics with the ionized gas tracing the gravitational equilibrium circular speed. This is not true in the innermost region (r < 8'') of NGC 3898 where the ionized gas is rotating more slowly than the circular velocity predicted by dynamical modelling. This phenomenon is common in the bulge-dominated galaxies for which dynamical modelling enables us to make the direct comparison between the gas velocity and the circular speed, and it poses questions about the reliability of galaxy mass distributions derived by the direct decomposition of the observed ionized-gas rotation curve into the contributions of luminous and dark matter.

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arXiv2000

Modeling gas and stellar kinematics in disc galaxies

We present V-band surface photometry and major-axis kinematics of stars and ionized gas of three early-type spiral galaxies, namely NGC 772, NGC 3898 and NGC 7782. For each galaxy we built a self-consistent Jeans model for the stellar kinematics, adopting the light distribution of bulge and disc derived by means of a two-dimensional parametric photometric decomposition. This allowed us to investigate the presence of non-circular gas motions, and derive the mass distribution of luminous and dark matter in these objects. We found that the observed gas rotation corresponds to the circular velocity except for the innermost region (|r|<8") of NGC 3898. This behaviour is quite common, although not ubiquitous, in the few bulge-dominated galaxies, for which dynamical modeling allows the comparison between the gas velocity and the circular speed.

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arXiv2000

NGC 4672: a new case of an early-type disk galaxy with an orthogonally decoupled core

We report the case of the early-type disk galaxy NGC 4672 as a new example of a galaxy characterized by the orthogonal geometrical decoupling between bulge and disk. The morphological features of this galaxy are discussed as well as the velocity curves and velocity dispersion profiles of stars and ionized gas along both its major and minor axis. We conclude that NGC 4672 has structural (i.e., a bulge elongated perpendicularly to the disk) and kinematical (i.e., a stellar core rotating perpendicularly to the disk) properties similar to those of the Sa NGC 4698. The presence of the isolated core suggests that the disk component is the end result of the acquisition of external material in polar orbits around a pre-existing oblate spheroid as in the case of the ring component of AM 2020-504, the prototype of polar ring ellipticals.

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