NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2002B-0187
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2002B-0187 |
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PI: Elisabeth B. Ambrose, eba@astro.as.utexas.edu
Address: Mail Code C1400, Austin
CoI: John Kormendy
CoI: Sheila J. Kannappan
Title: Pseudobulges in Disk Galaxies
Abstract:
The most fundamental morphological division of galaxies is into
elliptical galaxies and disks. Elliptical galaxies consist mainly of
old stars and are ellipsoidal in shape, while disk galaxies consist of a
disk component that continually makes stars. Many disk galaxies also
contain a ``bulge" that is similar to a small elliptical galaxy and
that, it is thought, was formed when the galaxy formed. However, recent
work suggests that not all bulges of disk galaxies are, in fact, like
tiny ellipticals. Rather, some bulges have characteristics associated
with disks and are now thought to have been built out of the disk after
the galaxy formed. These are called pseudobulges. Pseudobulges are
known to exist, and enough of their characteristics are known to be able
to identify the prototypical examples. However, no rigorous study of
their properties has been performed to date. This means that we do not
yet have a rigorous prescription for identifying pseudobulges, and we do
not have a quantitative understanding of how often, as a function of
Hubble type, the apparent bulges of disk galaxies are really
pseudobulges.
We propose to use the 2.1 m telescope to get imaging and kinematic
data on a sample of disk galaxies known to contain prototypical
pseudobulges and classical bulges. Our aim is to determine a reliable
prescription for identifying pseudobulges in disk galaxies.
National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85726, Phone: (520) 318-8000, Fax: (520) 318-8360
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2002B-0187 |
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