Engineering topics

Buta, R

Publications and source records attributed to Buta, R.

2 records

DOE OSTI2010

DECREASED FREQUENCY OF STRONG BARS IN S0 GALAXIES: EVIDENCE FOR SECULAR EVOLUTION?

Using data from the Near-Infrared S0 Survey of nearby, early-type galaxies, we examine the distribution of bar strengths in S0 galaxies as compared to S0/a and Sa galaxies, and as compared to previously published bar strength data for Ohio State University Bright Spiral Galaxy Survey spiral galaxies. Bar strengths based on the gravitational torque method are derived from 2.2 {mu}m K{sub s} -band images for a statistical sample of 138 (98 S0, 40 S0/a,Sa) galaxies having a mean total blue magnitude (B{sub T}) {<=} 12.5 and generally inclined less than 65{sup 0}. We find that S0 galaxies have weaker bars on average than spiral galaxies in general, even compared to their closest spiral counterparts, S0/a and Sa galaxies. The differences are significant and cannot be entirely due to uncertainties in the assumed vertical scale heights or in the assumption of constant mass-to-light ratios. Part of the difference is likely simply due to the dilution of the bar torques by the higher mass bulges seen in S0s. If spiral galaxies accrete external gas, as advocated by Bournaud and Combes, then the fewer strong bars found among S0s imply a lack of gas accretion according to this theory. If S0s are stripped former spirals, or else are evolved from former spirals due to internal secular dynamical processes which deplete the gas as well as grow the bulges, then the weaker bars and the prevalence of lenses in S0 galaxies could further indicate that bar evolution continues to proceed during and even after gas depletion.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2010

BARS DO DRIVE SPIRAL DENSITY WAVES

Recently, Buta et al. examined the question 'Do Bars Drive Spiral Density Waves?', an idea supported by theoretical studies and also from a preliminary observational analysis. They estimated maximum bar strengths Q{sub b} , maximum spiral strengths Q{sub s} , and maximum m = 2 arm contrasts A {sub 2s} for 23 galaxies with deep Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) K{sub s} -band images. These were combined with previously published Q{sub b} and Q{sub s} values for 147 galaxies from the Ohio State University Bright Spiral Galaxy Survey (OSUBSGS) sample and with the 12 galaxies from Block et al. Weak correlation between Q{sub b} and Q{sub s} was confirmed for the combined sample, whereas the AAT subset alone showed no significant correlations between Q{sub b} and Q{sub s} , nor between Q{sub b} and A {sub 2s}. A similar negative result was obtained in Durbala et al. for 46 galaxies. Based on these studies, the answer to the above question remains uncertain. Here we use a novel approach, and show that although the correlation between the maximum bar and spiral parameters is weak, these parameters do correlate when compared locally. For the OSUBSGS sample, a statistically significant correlation is found between the local spiral amplitude, and the forcing due to the bar's potential at the same distance, out to {approx}1.6 bar radii (the typical bar perturbation is then of the order of a few percent). Also for the sample of 23 AAT galaxies of Buta et al., we find a significant correlation between local parameters out to {approx}1.4 bar radii. Our new results confirm that, at least in a statistical sense, bars do indeed drive spiral density waves.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗