Bibcode
Pohlen, M.; Balcells, M.; Lütticke, R.; Dettmar, R.-J.
Bibliographical reference
Astronomy and Astrophysics, v.409, p.485-490 (2003)
Advertised on:
10
2003
Journal
Citations
16
Refereed citations
14
Description
Late-type spiral galaxies are thought to be the dynamically simplest
type of disk galaxy and our understanding of their properties plays a
key role in galaxy formation and evolution scenarios. The low surface
brightness (LSB) galaxy UGC 7321, a nearby, isolated, ``superthin''
edge-on galaxy, is an ideal object to study these purely disk-dominated
bulge-less galaxies. Although late type spirals are believed to exhibit
the simplest possible structure, even prior observations showed
deviations from a pure single component exponential disk in the case of
UGC 7321. We present for the first time photometric evidence for
peanut-shaped outer isophotes from a deep optical (R-band) image of UGC
7321. Observations and dynamical modeling suggest that
boxy/peanut-shaped (b/p) bulges in general form through the buckling
instability in bars of the parent galaxy disks. Together with recent HI
observations supporting the presence of a stellar bar in UGC 7321, this
could be the earliest known case of the buckling process during the
evolutionary life of a LSB galaxy, whereby material in the disk-bar has
started to be pumped up above the disk, but a genuine bulge has not yet
formed.
Based on observations obtained at the German-Spanish Astronomical Center
(DSAZ), Calar Alto, jointly operated by the Max-Planck-Institut für
Astronomie Heidelberg and the Spanish National Commission for Astronomy.