Bibcode
DOI
Garcia-Lorenzo, B.; Mediavilla, E.; Arribas, S.; del Burgo, C.
Bibliographical reference
Astrophysical Journal Letters v.483, p.L99
Advertised on:
7
1997
Citations
20
Refereed citations
16
Description
We have obtained simultaneous two-dimensional spectroscopy of the Ca II
triplet lines in the central 24" x 20" of NGC 1068, using an optical
fiber system. The stellar velocity field derived from these data shows a
kinematic off-centering between the inner (r < 3") and outer (r >
5") regions, indicative of a nonsymmetric gravitational potential. Both
regions exhibit kinematic minor axes aligned with PA ~ 0 deg and could
have similar systemic velocities. However, their kinematic centers are
displaced by ~2."5. We propose that two kinematically different stellar
systems rotating around parallel but shifted axes are present in NGC
1068. The origin of this peculiarity is discussed in relation to the
gravitational potential of the galaxy and the hypothesis of a minor
merger event.