Issue |
A&A
Volume 508, Number 3, December IV 2009
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 1253 - 1258 | |
Section | Extragalactic astronomy | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/200913055 | |
Published online | 04 November 2009 |
The core fundamental plane of B2 radio galaxies
1
INAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Vicolo dell'Osservatorio, 5, 35122 Padova, Italy e-mail: [daniela.bettoni;renato.falomo]@oapd.inaf.it
2
INAF – IRA Bologna, Italy e-mail: [p.parma;r.fanti]@ira.inaf.it
3
INAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna, via Ranzani, 1, 40127 Bologna, Italy e-mail: h.deruiter@ira.inaf.it
Received:
3
August
2009
Accepted:
3
October
2009
Context. The photometric, structural and kinematical properties of the centers of elliptical galaxies harbour important information on the formation history of galaxies. In the case of non-active elliptical galaxies, these properties are linked in a way that surface brightness, break radius and velocity dispersion of the core lie on a fundamental plane similar to that found for their global properties.
Aims. We construct the core fundamental plane (CFP) for a sizeable sample of low redshift radio galaxies and compare it with that of non-radio ellipticals.
Methods. We combine data obtained from high resolution HST images with medium resolution optical spectroscopy to derive the photometric and kinematic properties of ~40 low redshift radio galaxies.
Results. We found that the CFP of radio galaxies is indistinguishable from that defined by non-radio elliptical galaxies of similar luminosity. The characteristics of the CFP of radio galaxies are also consistent (same slope) with those of the fundamental plane (FP) derived from the global properties of radio (and non-radio) elliptical galaxies. The similarity of CFP and FP for radio and non-radio ellipticals suggests that the active phase of these galaxies has minimal effects on the structure of the galaxies.
Key words: galaxies: active / galaxies: kinematics and dynamics
© ESO, 2009
Current usage metrics show cumulative count of Article Views (full-text article views including HTML views, PDF and ePub downloads, according to the available data) and Abstracts Views on Vision4Press platform.
Data correspond to usage on the plateform after 2015. The current usage metrics is available 48-96 hours after online publication and is updated daily on week days.
Initial download of the metrics may take a while.