In Figs. 2-5, we
show the histograms for the bulge and disk parameters
,
,
and
,
respectively. Scales
are in kpc and surface brightnesses in
magarcsec-2. Superindex c denotes correction for
Galactic extinction and inclination (in the disk typical
surface brightness).
The averaged
value is
magarcsec-2 (
magarcsec-2 if we only take into account the galaxies with B/D < 1.7, the
low B/D subsample hereafter), typical for a late-type spiral
(Kent 1985; Simien 1989). The typical scale of
the bulge is in average 2.7 kpc (2.2 kpc for the low-B/D subsample), with a great dispersion (
), but also
common for a Sb-Sc galaxy. These values are very similar to
the ones measured in the Gunn r images, although there seems
to be a lack of small bulges in the red data.
![]() |
Figure 4:
Histogram of the characteristic surface brightness of the disk
![]() |
The histogram of the characteristic surface brightness of the
disk (Fig. 4) is dominated by galaxies with
magarcsec-2, with the average in
magarcsec-2 (
magarcsec-2 for the low-B/D subsample). The narrow
range of
seems to support the existence of a
universal central surface brightness for the disk, as proposed
for normal spirals by Freeman (1970) and confirmed by
other authors (i.e., Boroson 1981; Simien & de
Vaucouleurs 1986), although other works in the
literature present samples of galaxies with a wider spread in
(see, for example, McGaugh et al. 1995 or
Beijersbergen et al. 1999). Our
value is
0.5
brighter than the Freeman central surface
brightness. Therefore, the UCM sample of star-forming galaxies
appears to have brighter disks than those of normal spirals;
this fact is probably related to the higher star-formation
activity. Scale lengths are dominated by disks smaller than 4
kpc (68% of the total number of galaxies fitted), with mean
kpc (the same for the low-B/D subsample). This
value is higher than that found by Chitre et
al. (1999) for a sample of starburst galaxies in the
Markarian sample (
kpc), very similar to the averaged
value found by Vennik et al. (2000) for a sample of
emission-line galaxies (
kpc), although they
only fit an exponential to the outer parts of the
profiles. Our value is lower than the one found by de Jong
(1996a) for normal edge-on spirals (
kpc) - they argue that their selection biases against galaxies
with low surface brightness and short scale lengths are
large -. Other works (for example, Boroson 1981; Kent
1985; Bothun et al. 1989; Andredakis & Sanders
1994) agree in placing our galaxies in the zone of
short disk spirals, though one should be cautious against
comparing scale lengths from different authors due to the
subjective nature of disk parameters (Knapen & van der Kruit
1991 find discrepancies up to a factor of two in the
scale lengths calculated from several authors).
All of the above values are very similar to those found by
Vitores et al. (1996b) and place the UCM sample of
galaxies in the zone of the late-type spirals, with small
bulges and not very extended disks (Freeman
1970). Three remarks are interesting when comparing
both sets of data. First, in the Gunn r decomposition a
lower bulge scale cut-off was observed (at
kpc);
this is not present in the B band study. A possible
explanation is the different handling performed with the
seeing that allows the B bulges to be smaller but brighter
(seeing correction smoothes the profile; this was not the case
with the Gunn r bulge-disk decomposition, where the seeing
effect was not taken into account directly), but this does not
seem to cope with the whole difference. Second, both bands
present a preference for disk scales around 2-3 kpc (larger
disks in the blue band); very short disk scales and large ones
are less frequent. Third, the difference between the surface
brightness levels of the bulge and disk are of the order of
the mean colour, around
,
as expected according to the
averaged B-r colour found in Fukugita et al. (1995).
In order to typify the size of the UCM galaxies, the
histograms representing the diameter of the 24.5 magarcsec-2 isophote D24.5 and the effective
radius
(both in kpc) have been plotted in
Figs. 6 and 7. The averaged diameter of the
UCM objects is
kpc. Comparison with the red data has
been established through the plot of the diameter of the 24 magarcsec-2 Gunn r isophote (that will be nearer
to the 24.5 blue isophote than the corresponding red one,
assuming a mean colour
). The mean effective
radius
is
kpc; this reflects the high degree
of spatial luminosity concentration of our objects, most of
them being starburst nuclei with a large emission arising from
the center of the galaxy. Tentatively, UCM galaxies seem to be
more extended in the blue band than in the red one (they show
larger effective radius and diameters in B).
Finally, we plot in Figs. 8 and 9 the mean
effective and isophote 24.5 surface brightnesses in order to
characterize the whole galaxy luminosity distribution. UCM
objects show
and
(both in
magarcsec-2), common value for normal galaxies
(Doi et al. 1993). The difference between the Gunn r and the Johnson B values (
0.5
)
is a common B-r colour for spirals (Fukugita et al. 1995).
![]() |
Figure 8:
Histogram of the mean surface brightness inside the effective aperture
![]() |
![]() |
Figure 9:
Histogram of the mean surface brightness inside the 24.5 isophote
![]() |
![]() |
Figure 13: Histogram of the asymmetry coefficient A of the UCM sample calculated after Abraham et al. (1996) |
In the next 3 figures, labelled 10, 11 and
12, histograms of the concentration indices are
shown. Mean values are
,
and
.
All of them are
common values for spiral galaxies, corresponding approximately
to a Hubble type of Sb (Doi et al. 1993; Gavazzi et
al. 1990; Kent 1985; respectively for each
concentration index). These values are higher than those
measured in the Gunn r images. The B luminosity seems to
be more concentrated in the inner parts than the r one,
although galaxies are more extended.
Figure 13 depicts the histogram of the asymmetry
coefficient for the UCM sample. The UCM sample is dominated
by intermediately asymmetrical galaxies with mean
,
lower than the value found by Bershady et al.
(2000) for a sample of normal local galaxies; this
could be due to a difference in the calculation of A or
because their sample is composed by bright, large objects
which probably have many asymmetrical features. This is what
we should expect for spirals which have a certain axis
symmetry although they present arms, bars or HII regions that
enlarge the asymmetry coefficient. There is a lack of highly
symmetrical objects, which correspond to elliptical galaxies,
not present in our sample as it is composed by star-forming
systems.
![]() |
Figure 14:
Plots of the 5 criteria used to morphologically classify the UCM galaxies. Top panels show on the left the distribution of the B/T ratio and on the right the mean effective surface brightness (corrected for Galactic extinction) according to the final Hubble type established for each galaxy. The middle panel shows the plot found in Doi et al. (1993) of concentration index
![]() |
All the previous results have been summarized in Table 4 for a quick look, jointly with the Gunn r statistics.
Magnitudes | symbol | mean | st. dev. | median |
Magnitudes | ||||
apparent magnitude | mB | 16.1 (15.5) | 1.1 (1.0) | 16.1 (15.5) |
absolute magnitude | MB | -19.9 (-20.5) | 1.1 (1.1) | -20.0 (-20.6) |
B+D parameters | ||||
bulge-to-disk ratio | B/D | 0.40 (0.82) | 0.65 (0.98) | 0.12 (0.48) |
effective bulge surface brightness |
![]() |
22.8 (22.6) | 2.3 (1.7) | 22.5 (22.6) |
effective radius of the bulge | ![]() |
2.7 (2.1) | 4.8 (3.3) | 1.0 (2.1) |
disk face-on central surface brightness |
![]() |
21.1 (20.3) | 1.1 (1.1) | 21.2 (20.3) |
exponential scale length of the disk |
![]() |
3.6 (1.8) | 2.6 (1.6) | 3.0 (1.8) |
Geometric parameters | ||||
diameter of the 24.5 magarcsec-2 isophote | D24.5 | 22 (18) | 12 (9) | 19 (16) |
Mean photometric parameters | ||||
effective radius | ![]() |
3.8 (3.3) | 2.3 (1.9) | 3.2 (2.7) |
mean effective surface brightness |
![]() |
21.2 (20.4) | 0.9 (0.7) | 21.2 (20.4) |
isophote 24.5 magarcsec-2 mean surface brightness |
![]() |
22.5 (22.1) | 0.4 (0.4) | 22.5 (22.1) |
Concentration indices | ||||
concentration index (
![]() |
c![]() |
0.41 (0.48) | 0.12 (0.10) | 0.40 (0.48) |
concentration index | c31 | 3.4 (3.2) | 1.0 (0.9) | 3.2 (3.0) |
concentration index | c42 | 3.3 (3.1) | 0.6 (0.6) | 3.2 (3.0) |
Asymmetry coefficient | ||||
asymmetry coefficient | A | 0.10 (-) | 0.08 (-) | 0.09 (-) |
A morphological classification of the UCM galaxies has been carried out using 5 different criteria. These criteria were already used by Vitores et al. (1996a) with the Gunn r images, and are now applied to the Johnson B data in order to compare the results obtained with different bandpasses. Besides, some galaxies not studied in Vitores et al. (1996a) have now been classified for the first time (15% of the sample). We outline the main features of the classification criteria:
![]() |
(9) |
In this work we utilized all these five criteria to classify the UCM galaxies in S0, Sa, Sb, Sc+ (Sc type or later) and Irr galaxies plus the BCD type (these galaxies were classified using spectroscopic confirmation available in Gallego et al. 1996); some galaxies were very distorted due to interactions and are marked in the result table as an independent class. The final Hubble type was established as that in which most criteria agree. This method is not completely objective and constitutes the main reason for the discrepancy between the classification using the Gunn r data and that performed in this paper with the Johnson B images. Table 5 presents the final classification in both bands. Figure 14 shows the histograms and plots of the 5 criteria used in the classification; in these plots the general trend of each parameter with the Hubble type can be seen, although great scatter and overlap between the different types are also present. Mean values will be shown in Table 7.
Table 6 presents the number of UCM galaxies of each type in the Gunn r and Johnson B filters. A total number of 35 galaxies have been classified differently in the two bands, although the differences are always from one type to the contiguous (except in UCM 2316+2028). Based on the Johnson B data, 65% of the whole sample is classified as Sb or later (61% based on Gunn r images). The percentage of barred galaxies is very similar in both bands (Johnson B 9%, Gunn r 8%); most of them are late-type spirals (47% are Sb galaxies and 35% Sc+). We have marked 6 clear interactions among the UCM galaxies (3%), although there are more objects with tails or structures that could have been formed during an interaction. Seyfert 1 galaxies (6 objects) are all classified as S0, except one (UCM 0003+1955) that is very bright and could not be classified; Sy 2 galaxies have been classified as Sa (1 object), Sb (3 objects) and Sc+ (3 objects). These results are consistent with the ones found in the literature (see, for example, Hunt & Malkan 1999).
UCM name | MpT(B) | MpT (r) | UCM name | MpT(B) | MpT (r) | UCM name | MpT(B) | MpT (r) |
(1) | (2) | (3) | (1) | (2) | (3) | (1) | (2) | (3) |
0000+2140 | INTER | -- | 0141+2220 | Sa | Sb | 1314+2827 | Sa | Sa |
0003+2200 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 0142+2137 | SBb | SBb | 1320+2727 | Sb | Sb |
0003+2215 | Sc+ | -- | 0144+2519 | SBc+ | SBc+(r) | 1324+2926 | BCD | BCD |
0003+1955 | -- | -- | 0147+2309 | Sa | Sa | 1324+2651 | INTER | -- |
0005+1802 | Sb | -- | 0148+2124 | BCD | BCD | 1331+2900 | BCD | BCD |
0006+2332 | Sb | -- | 0150+2032 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 1428+2727 | Irr | Sc+ |
0013+1942 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 0156+2410 | Sb | Sc+ | 1429+2645 | Sb | Sc+ |
0014+1829 | Sa | Sa | 0157+2413 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 1430+2947 | S0 | S0 |
0014+1748 | SBb | SBb | 0157+2102 | Sb | Sb | 1431+2854 | Sb | Sb |
0015+2212 | Sa | Sa | 0159+2354 | Sb | Sa | 1431+2702 | Sa | Sb |
0017+1942 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 0159+2326 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 1431+2947 | BCD | BCD |
0017+2148 | Sa | -- | 1246+2727 | Irr | -- | 1431+2814 | Sb | Sa |
0018+2216 | Sb | Sb | 1247+2701 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 1432+2645 | SBb | SBb |
0018+2218 | Sb | -- | 1248+2912 | SBb | -- | 1440+2521S | Sb | Sb |
0019+2201 | Sb | Sc+ | 1253+2756 | Sa | Sa | 1440+2511 | Sb | Sb |
0022+2049 | Sb | Sb | 1254+2741 | Sb | Sb | 1440+2521N | Sb | Sa |
0023+1908 | Sc+ | -- | 1254+2802 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 1442+2845 | Sb | Sb |
0034+2119 | SBc+ | -- | 1255+2819 | Sb | Sb | 1443+2714 | Sa | Sa |
0037+2226 | SBc+ | -- | 1255+3125 | Sa | Sa | 1443+2844 | SBc+ | SBc+ |
0038+2259 | Sb | Sa | 1255+2734 | Sc+ | Irr | 1443+2548 | Sc+ | Sc+ |
0039+0054 | Sc+ | -- | 1256+2717 | S0 | -- | 1444+2923 | S0 | S0 |
0040+0257 | Sb | Sc+ | 1256+2732 | INTER | -- | 1452+2754 | Sb | Sb |
0040+2312 | Sc+ | -- | 1256+2701 | Sc+ | Irr | 1506+1922 | Sb | Sb |
0040+0220 | Sc+ | Sb | 1256+2910 | Sb | Sb | 1513+2012 | Sa | S0 |
0040-0023 | Sc+ | -- | 1256+2823 | Sb | Sb | 1537+2506N | SBb | SBb |
0041+0134 | Sc+ | -- | 1256+2754 | Sa | Sa | 1537+2506S | SBa | SBa |
0043+0245 | Sc+ | -- | 1256+2722 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 1557+1423 | Sb | Sb |
0043-0159 | Sc+ | -- | 1257+2808 | Sb | Sa | 1612+1308 | BCD | BCD |
0044+2246 | Sb | Sb | 1258+2754 | Sb | Sb | 1646+2725 | Sc+ | Sc+ |
0045+2206 | INTER | 1259+2934 | Sb | Sb | 1647+2950 | Sc+ | Sc+ | |
0047+2051 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 1259+3011 | Sa | Sa | 1647+2729 | Sb | Sb |
0047-0213 | S0 | Sa | 1259+2755 | Sa | Sa | 1647+2727 | Sb | Sa |
0047+2413 | Sa | Sa | 1300+2907 | Sa | Sb | 1648+2855 | Sa | Sa |
0047+2414 | Sc+ | -- | 1301+2904 | Sb | Sb | 1653+2644 | INTER | -- |
0049-0006 | BCD | BCD | 1302+2853 | Sb | Sa | 1654+2812 | Sc+ | Sc+ |
0049+0017 | Sb | Sc+ | 1302+3032 | Sa | -- | 1655+2755 | Sc+ | Sb |
0049-0045 | Sb | -- | 1303+2908 | Irr | Irr | 1656+2744 | Sa | Sa |
0050+0005 | Sa | Sa | 1304+2808 | Sb | Sa | 1657+2901 | Sb | Sc+ |
0050+2114 | Sa | Sa | 1304+2830 | BCD | BCD | 1659+2928 | SB0 | SB0 |
0051+2430 | Sa | -- | 1304+2907 | Irr | Irr | 1701+3131 | S0 | S0 |
0054-0133 | Sb | -- | 1304+2818 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 2238+2308 | Sa(r) | Sa |
0054+2337 | Sc+ | -- | 1306+2938 | SBb | Sb | 2239+1959 | S0 | S0 |
0056+0044 | Irr | Irr | 1306+3111 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 2249+2149 | Sb | Sa |
0056+0043 | Sb | Sc+ | 1307+2910 | SBb | SBb | 2250+2427 | Sa | Sa |
0119+2156 | Sb | Sc+ | 1308+2958 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 2251+2352 | Sc+ | Sc+ |
0121+2137 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 1308+2950 | SBb | SBb | 2253+2219 | Sa | Sa |
0129+2109 | SBc+ | -- | 1310+3027 | Sb | Sa | 2255+1930S | Sb | Sb |
0134+2257 | Sb | -- | 1312+3040 | Sa | Sa | 2255+1930N | Sb | Sb |
0135+2242 | S0 | S0 | 1312+2954 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 2255+1926 | Sb | Sc+ |
0138+2216 | Sc+ | -- | 1313+2938 | Sa | Sa | 2255+1654 | Sc+ | Sc+ |
UCM name | MpT(B) | MpT (r) | UCM name | MpT(B) | MpT (r) | UCM name | MpT(B) | MpT (r) |
(1) | (2) | (3) | (1) | (2) | (3) | (1) | (2) | (3) |
2256+2001 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 2313+1841 | Sb | Sb | 2325+2318 | INTER | -- |
2257+2438 | S0 | S0 | 2313+2517 | Sa | -- | 2325+2208 | SBc+ | SBc+ |
2257+1606 | S0 | -- | 2315+1923 | Sb | Sa | 2326+2435 | Sb | Sa |
2258+1920 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 2316+2457 | SBa | SBa | 2327+2515N | Sb | Sb |
2300+2015 | Sb | Sb | 2316+2459 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 2327+2515S | S0 | S0 |
2302+2053W | Sb | Sb | 2316+2028 | Sa | Sc+ | 2329+2427 | Sb | Sb |
2302+2053E | Sb | Sb | 2317+2356 | Sa | Sa | 2329+2500 | S0(r) | S0(r) |
2303+1856 | Sa | Sa | 2319+2234 | Sb | Sc+ | 2329+2512 | Sa | Sa |
2303+1702 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 2319+2243 | S0 | S0 | 2331+2214 | Sb | Sb |
2304+1640 | BCD | BCD | 2320+2428 | Sa | Sa | 2333+2248 | Sc+ | Sc+ |
2304+1621 | Sa | Sa | 2321+2149 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 2333+2359 | S0a | S0 |
2307+1947 | Sb | Sb | 2321+2506 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 2348+2407 | Sa | Sa |
2310+1800 | Sb | Sc+ | 2322+2218 | Sc+ | Sc+ | 2351+2321 | Sb | Sb |
2312+2204 | Sa | -- | 2324+2448 | Sb | Sc+ |
(1) UCM name. (2) Morphological type established using 5 different criteria based on luminosity concentration and bulge-disk decomposition applied to the Johnson B images. (3) Morphological type established using 5 different criteria based on luminosity concentration and bulge-disk decomposition applied to the Gunn r images. |
Copyright ESO 2001