Bibcode
Beckman, J. E.; Zurita, A.; Vega Beltrán, J. C.
Referencia bibliográfica
Lecture Notes and Essays in Astrophysics, vol. 1, p. 43-62.
Fecha de publicación:
9
2004
Número de citas
10
Número de citas referidas
9
Descripción
In this article we first give a brief historically based survey of
kinematic observations, essentially of rotation curves, of spiral
galaxies produced as techniques have advanced and new wavelength ranges
have opened up. We then describe the basic inferences from kinematic
measurements relevant to galactic structure: the rotational velocity and
the velocity dispersion in gas and stars, and how these are made. This
is followed by a selection of observations of individual galaxies,
picked to illustrate how structural components: bulges, discs, lenses
and bars, can be detected and analyzed kinematically as a complement to,
or even a substitute for surface photometry. A further section shows how
two dimensional kinematic observations of galaxies are even more
powerful than one dimensional long--slit optical observations. This is
illustrated by Fabry--Pérot mapping of NGC 1530 in Hα, from
which we can clearly detect streaming motions in the arms, high velocity
flows on either sides of the bar, and inward spiralling gas flow towards
the nucleus, and from which we can also relate velocity gradient
behaviour with the enhancement or the inhibition of the star formation
rate. Finally we explain how continued technical improvement will ensure
continued progress in this mature but rewarding field.