Browsing by Subject "stellar bars"

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The Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment: First Detection of High-Velocity Milky Way Bar Stars
(2012-08) Nidever, David L.; Zasowski, Gail; Majewski, Steven R.; Bird, Jonathan; Robin, Annie C.; Martinez-Valpuesta, Inma; Beaton, Rachael L.; Schoenrich, Ralph; Schultheis, Mathias; Wilson, John C.; Skrutskie, Michael F.; O'Connell, Robert W.; Shetrone, Matthew; Schiavon, Ricardo P.; Johnson, Jennifer A.; Weiner, Benjamin; Gerhard, Ortwin; Schneider, Donald P.; Prieto, Carlos Allende; Sellgren, Kris; Bizyaev, Dmitry; Brewington, Howard; Brinkmann, Jon; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; Frinchaboy, Peter M.; Perez, Ana Elia Garcia; Holtzman, Jon; Hearty, Fred R.; Malanushenko, Elena; Malanushenko, Viktor; Muna, Demitri; Oravetz, Daniel; Pan, Kaike; Simmons, Audrey; Snedden, Stephanie; Weaver, Benjamin A.; Shetrone, Matthew
Commissioning observations with the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE), part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III, have produced radial velocities (RVs) for similar to 4700 K/M-giant stars in the Milky Way (MW) bulge. These high-resolution (R similar to 22,500), high-S/N (>100 per resolution element), near-infrared (NIR; 1.51-1.70 mu m) spectra provide accurate RVs (epsilon(V) similar to 0.2 km s(-1)) for the sample of stars in 18 Galactic bulge fields spanning -1 degrees < l < 20 degrees, vertical bar b vertical bar < 20 degrees, and delta > -32 degrees. This represents the largest NIR high-resolution spectroscopic sample of giant stars ever assembled in this region of the Galaxy. A cold (sigma(V) similar to 30 km s(-1)), high-velocity peak (V-GSR approximate to + 200 km s(-1)) is found to comprise a significant fraction (similar to 10%) of stars in many of these fields. These high RVs have not been detected in previous MW surveys and are not expected for a simple, circularly rotating disk. Preliminary distance estimates rule out an origin from the background Sagittarius tidal stream or a new stream in the MW disk. Comparison to various Galactic models suggests that these high RVs are best explained by stars in orbits of the Galactic bar potential, although some observational features remain unexplained.
Barred Galaxies In The Abell 901/2 Supercluster With Stages
(2009-06) Marinova, Irina; Jogee, Shardha; Heiderman, Amanda; Barazza, Fabio D.; Gray, M. E.; Barden, Marco; Wolf, Christian; Peng, Chen Y.; Bacon, David; Balogh, Michael; Bell, Eric F.; Bohm, Asmus; Caldwell, John A. R.; Haussler, Boris; Heymans, Catherine; Jahnke, Knud; van Kampen, Eelco; Lane, Kyle; McIntosh, Daniel H.; Meisenheimer, Klaus; Sanchez, Sebastian F.; Somerville, Rachel; Taylor, Andy; Wisotzki, Lutz; Zheng, Xianzhong; Marinova, Irina; Jogee, Shardha; Heiderman, Amanda
We present a study of bar and host disk evolution in a dense cluster environment, based on a sample of similar to 800 bright (M-V <= -18) galaxies in the Abell 901/2 supercluster at z similar to 0.165. We use Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) F606W imaging from the STAGES survey, and data from Spitzer, XMM-Newton, and COMBO-17. We identify and characterize bars through ellipse-fitting, and other morphological features through visual classification. We find the following results. (1) To define the optical fraction of barred disk galaxies, we explore three commonly used methods for selecting disk galaxies. We find 625, 485, and 353 disk galaxies, respectively, via visual classification, a single component Sersic cut (n <= 2.5), and a blue-cloud cut. In cluster environments, the latter two methods suffer from serious limitations, and miss 31% and 51%, respectively, of visually identified disks, particularly the many red, bulge-dominated disk galaxies in clusters. (2) For moderately inclined disks, the three methods of disk selection, however, yield a similar global optical bar fraction (f(bar-opt)) of 34%(+10%)(-3%) (115/340), 31%(+10%)(-3%) (58/189), and 30%(+10%)(-3%) (72/241), respectively. (3) We explore f(bar-opt) as a function of host galaxy properties and find that it rises in brighter galaxies and those which appear to have no significant bulge component. Within a given absolute magnitude bin, f(bar-opt) is higher in visually selected disk galaxies that have no bulge as opposed to those with bulges. Conversely, for a given visual morphological class, f(bar-opt) rises at higher luminosities. Both results are similar to trends found in the field. (4) For bright early-types, as well as faint late-type systems with no evident bulge, the optical bar fraction in the Abell 901/2 clusters is comparable within a factor of 1.1-1.4 to that of field galaxies at lower redshifts (z < 0.04). (5) Between the core and the virial radius of the cluster (R similar to 0.25-1.2 Mpc) at intermediate environmental densities (log(Sigma(10)) similar to 1.7-2.3), the optical bar fraction does not appear to depend strongly on the local environment density tracers (kappa, Sigma(10), and intracluster medium (ICM) density), and varies at most by a factor of similar to 1.3. Inside the cluster core, we are limited by number statistics, projection effects, and different trends from different indicators, but overall f(bar-opt) does not show evidence for a variation larger than a factor of 1.5. We discuss the implications of our results for the evolution of bars and disks in dense environments.
Bars In Disk-Dominated And Bulge-Dominated Galaxies At Z Similar To 0: New Insights From Similar To 3600 SDSS Galaxies
(2008-03) Barazza, Fabio D.; Jogee, Shardha; Marinova, Irina; Barazza, Fabio D.; Jogee, Shardha; Marinova, Irina
We present a study of large-scale bars in the local universe, based on a large sample of 3692 galaxies, with 18.5 <= M(g) < -22.0 mag and redshift 0.01 <= z < 0.03, drawn from the Sloan Digitized Sky Survey. Our sample includes many galaxies that are disk-dominated and of late Hubble types. Both color cuts and Se e rsic cuts yield a similar sample of similar to 2000 disk galaxies. We characterize bars and disks by ellipse-fitting r-band images and applying quantitative criteria. After excluding highly inclined (60 degrees) systems, we find the following results. (1) The optical r-band fraction (f(opt-r)) of barred galaxies, when averaged over the whole sample, is similar to 48%-52%. (2) When galaxies are separated according to half light radius (r(e)), or normalized r(e)/R(24), which is a measure of the bulge-to-disk (B/D) ratio, a remarkable result is seen: f(opt-r) rises sharply, from similar to 40% in galaxies that have small r(e)/R(24) and visually appear to host prominent bulges, to similar to 70% for galaxies that have large r(e)/R(24) and appear disk-dominated. (3) For galaxies with bluer colors, f(opt-r) rises significantly (by similar to 30%). A weaker rise (by similar to 15%-20%) is seen for lower luminosities or lower masses. (4) While hierarchical Lambda CDM models of galaxy evolution models fail to produce galaxies without classical bulges, our study finds that similar to 20% of disk galaxies appear to be "quasi-bulgeless.'' (5) We outline how the effect of a decreasing resolution and a rising obscuration of bars by gas and dust over z = 0.2-1.0 can cause a significant artificial loss of bars, and an artificial reduction in the optical bar fraction over z = 0.2-1.0.
Bulge n And B/T In High-Mass Galaxies: Constraints On The Origin Of Bulges In Hierarchical Models
(2009-05) Weinzirl, Tim; Jogee, Shardha; Khochfar, S.; Burkert, Andreas; Kormendy, John; Weinzirl, Tim; Jogee, Shardha; Kormendy, John
We use the bulge Sersic index n and bulge-to-total mass ratio (B/T) to explore the fundamental question of how bulges form. We perform two-dimensional bulge-disk-bar decomposition on H-band images of 143 bright, high-mass (M(*) >= 1.0 x 10(10) M(circle dot)) low-to-moderately inclined (i < 70 degrees) spirals. Our results are as follows. (1) Our H-band bar fraction (similar to 58%) is consistent with that from ellipse fits. (2) 70% of the stellar mass is in disks, 10% in bars, and 20% in bulges. (3) A large fraction (similar to 69%) of bright spirals have B/T <= 0.2, and similar to 76% have low n <= 2 bulges. These bulges exist in barred and unbarred galaxies across a wide range of Hubble types. (4) About 65% (68%) of bright spirals with n <= 2 (B/T <= 0.2) bulges host bars, suggesting a possible link between bars and bulges. (5) We compare the results with predictions from a set of ACDM models. In the models, a high-mass spiral can have a bulge with a present-day low B/T <= 0.2 only if it did not undergo a major merger since z <= 2. The predicted fraction (similar to 1.6%) of high-mass spirals, which have undergone a major merger since z <= 4 and host a bulge with a present-day low B/T <= 0.2, is a factor of over 30 smaller than the observed fraction (similar to 66%) of high-mass spirals with B/T <= 0.2. Thus, contrary to common perception, bulges built via major mergers since z <= 4 seriously fail to account for the bulges present in similar to 66% of high mass spirals. Most of these present-day low B/T <= 0.2 bulges are likely to have been built by a combination of minor mergers and/or secular processes since z <= 4.
Frequency And Properties Of Bars In Cluster And Field Galaxies At Intermediate Redshifts
(2009-04) Barazza, F. D.; Jablonka, P.; Desai, V.; Jogee, S.; Aragon-Salamanca, A.; De Lucia, G.; Saglia, R. P.; Halliday, C.; Poggianti, B. M.; Dalcanton, J. J.; Rudnick, G.; Milvang-Jensen, B.; Noll, S.; Simard, L.; Clowe, D. I.; Pello, R.; White, S. D. M.; Zaritsky, D.; Jogee, S.
We present a study of large-scale bars in field and cluster environments out to redshifts of similar to 0.8 using a final sample of 945 moderately inclined disk galaxies drawn from the EDisCS project. We characterize bars and their host galaxies and look for relations between the presence of a bar and the properties of the underlying disk. We investigate whether the fraction and properties of bars in clusters are different from their counterparts in the field. The properties of bars and disks are determined by ellipse fits to the surface brightness distribution of the galaxies using HST/ACS images in the F814W filter. The bar identification is based on quantitative criteria after highly inclined (> 60 degrees) systems have been excluded. The total optical bar fraction in the redshift range z = 0.4-0.8 (median z = 0.60), averaged over the entire sample, is 25% (20% for strong bars). For the cluster and field subsamples, we measure bar fractions of 24% and 29%, respectively. We find that bars in clusters are on average longer than in the field and preferentially found close to the cluster center, where the bar fraction is somewhat higher (similar to 31%) than at larger distances (similar to 18%). These findings however rely on a relatively small subsample and might be affected by small number statistics. In agreement with local studies, we find that disk-dominated galaxies have a higher optical bar fraction (similar to 45%) than bulge-dominated galaxies (similar to 15%). This result is based on Hubble types and effective radii and does not change with redshift. The latter finding implies that bar formation or dissolution is strongly connected to the emergence of the morphological structure of a disk and is typically accompanied by a transition in the Hubble type. The question whether internal or external factors are more important for bar formation and evolution cannot be answered definitely. On the one hand, the bar fraction and properties of cluster and field samples of disk galaxies are quite similar, indicating that internal processes are crucial for bar formation. On the other hand, we find evidence that cluster centers are favorable locations for bars, which suggests that the internal processes responsible for bar growth are supported by the typical interactions taking place in such environments.
Two Pseudobulges In The "Boxy Bulge" Galaxy NGC 5746
(2012-08) Barentine, John C.; Kormendy, John; Barentine, John C.; Kormendy, John
Galaxy formation and growth under the Lambda CDM paradigm is expected to proceed in a hierarchical, bottom-up fashion by which small galaxies grow into large galaxies; this mechanism leaves behind large "classical bulges" kinematically distinct from "pseudobulges" grown by internal, secular processes. We use archival data (Spitzer Space Telescope 3.6 mu m wavelength, Hubble Space Telescope H-band, Two Micron All Sky Survey K-s-band, and Sloan Digital Sky Survey gri-band) to measure composite minor-and major-axis surface brightness profiles of the almost-edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 5746. These light profiles span a large range of radii and surface brightnesses to reveal an inner, high surface brightness stellar component that is distinct from the well-known boxy bulge. It is well fitted by Sersic functions with indices n = 0.99 +/- 0.08 and 1.17 +/- 0.24 along the minor and major axes, respectively. Since n < 2, we conclude that this innermost component is a secularly evolved pseudobulge that is distinct from the boxy pseudobulge. This inner pseudobulge makes up 0.136 +/- 0.019 of the total light of the galaxy. It is therefore considerably less luminous than the boxy structure, which is now understood to be a bar seen nearly end-on. The infrared imagery shows further evidence for secular evolution in the form of a bright inner ring of inner radius 9.1 kpc and width 1.6 kpc. NGC 5746 is therefore a giant, pure-disk SB(r) bc galaxy with no sign of a merger-built bulge. We do not understand how such galaxies form in a Lambda DM universe.