BHαBAR: big Hα kinematical sample of barred spiral galaxies – I. Fabry–Perot observations of 21 galaxies

We present the Hα gas kinematics of 21 representative barred spiral galaxies belonging to the BHαBAR sample. The galaxies were observed with FaNTOmM, a Fabry–Perot integral-field spectrometer, on three different telescopes. The three-dimensional data cubes were processed through a robust pipeline with the aim of providing the most homogeneous and accurate data set possible useful for further analysis. The data cubes were spatially binned to a constant signal-to-noise ratio, typically around 7. Maps of the monochromatic Hα emission line and of the velocity field were generated and the kinematical parameters were derived for the whole sample using tilted-ring models. The photometrical and kinematical parameters (position angle of the major axis, inclination, systemic velocity and kinematical centre) are in relative good agreement, except perhaps for the later-type spirals.     

Late-type galaxies observed with SAURON: two-dimensional stellar and emission-line kinematics of 18 spirals

We present the stellar and gas kinematics of a sample of 18 nearby late-type spiral galaxies (Hubble types ranging from Sb to Sd), observed with the integral-field spectrograph SAURON at the 4.2-m William Herschel Telescope. SAURON covers the spectral range 4800–5380 Å, allowing us to measure the Hβ, Fe, Mg b absorption features and the emission in the Hβ line and the  [O  iii ]λλ4959, 5007 Å  and  [N  i ]λλ5198, 5200 Å  doublets over a  33 × 41-arcsec²  field of view. The maps cover the nuclear region of these late-type galaxies and in all cases include the entire bulge. In many cases the stellar kinematics suggests the presence of a cold inner region, as visible from a central drop in the stellar velocity dispersion. The ionized gas is almost ubiquitous and behaves in a complicated fashion: the gas velocity fields often display more features than the stellar ones, including wiggles in the zero-velocity lines, irregular distributions, ring-like structures. The line ratio [O  iii ]/Hβ often takes on low values over most of the field, probably indicating a wide-spread star formation.     

GHASP: an Hα kinematic survey of spiral and irregular galaxies – IV. 44 new velocity fields. Extension, shape and asymmetry of Hα rotation curves

We present Fabry–Perot observations obtained in the frame of the GHASP survey (Gassendi HAlpha survey of SPirals). We have derived the Hα map, the velocity field and the rotation curve for a new set of 44 galaxies. The data presented in this paper are combined with the data published in the three previous papers providing a total number of 85 of the 96 galaxies observed up to now. This sample of kinematical data has been divided into two groups: isolated (ISO) and softly interacting (SOFT) galaxies. In this paper, the extension of the Hα discs, the shape of the rotation curves, the kinematical asymmetry and the Tully–Fisher relation have been investigated for both ISO and SOFT galaxies. The Hα extension is roughly proportional to R₂₅ for ISO as well as for SOFT galaxies. The smallest extensions of the ionized disc are found for ISO galaxies. The inner slope of the rotation curves is found to be correlated with the central concentration of light more clearly than with the type or the kinematical asymmetry, for ISO as well as for SOFT galaxies. The outer slope of the rotation curves increases with the type and with the kinematical asymmetry for ISO galaxies but shows no special trend for SOFT galaxies. No decreasing rotation curve is found for SOFT galaxies. The asymmetry of the rotation curves is correlated with the morphological type, the luminosity, the  ( B − V )  colour and the maximal rotational velocity of galaxies. Our results show that the brightest, the most massive and the reddest galaxies, which are fast rotators, are the least asymmetric, meaning that they are the most efficient with which to average the mass distribution on the whole disc. Asymmetry in the rotation curves seems to be linked with local star formation, betraying disturbances of the gravitational potential. The Tully–Fisher relation has a smaller slope for ISO than for SOFT galaxies.     

Late-type dwarf galaxies in the Virgo cluster — I. The samples

We selected samples of late-type dwarf galaxies in the Virgo cluster with H  i information. The galaxies were observed at the Wise Observatory using several broad-band and Hα bandpasses. UV measurements were carried out with the IUE Observatory from VILSPA, and with the FAUST shuttle-borne UV telescope.   We describe the observations in detail, paying particular attention to the determination of measurement errors, and present the observational results together with published data and far-infrared information from IRAS . The sample will be analysed in subsequent papers, in order to study star formation mechanisms in galaxies.     

The kinematics of the ionized gas in the Circinus galaxy

The TAURUS-2 Fabry–Perot interferometer, mounted on the 3.9-m Anglo-Australian Telescope, has been used to observe the Circinus galaxy. We have mapped the intensity and velocity distribution of the ionized hydrogen in the galaxy using the Balmer series Hα spectral line.
The semiresolved core (observed with a seeing disc of 30 pc) appears amorphous in shape, which is commonly observed in Seyfert 2 galaxies. Its peak coincides with the core position measured in the radio continuum, suggesting that ionized gas surrounds a non-thermal source.
A circumnuclear ring or spiral of radius 220 pc and a rotational velocity of 350 km s⁻¹ (assuming circular motions) surrounds the core. The inclination angle of this feature, i =40°±10°, is less than that of the previously observed radio continuum disc. The velocity channel maps obtained for the Hα ring show that the kinematics resemble those of a rotating ring and the intensity displays a complex structure indicative of several, unresolved, H II regions. We believe the ring to represent a circumnuclear starburst.
Our Hα data also show the presence of the previously detected [O III ] ionization cone to the north-west of the core, measuring more than 400 pc in length. We suggest that the ionization cone lies in a different plane from that of the starburst ring and is directed away from us. Several kinematic components of the core are derived and we calculate an outflow velocity in excess of 150–200 km s⁻¹ for gas above the core of Circinus. We also present evidence for inflowing ionized gas at the centre of Circinus.
The correlation of the Hα and radio continuum features is discussed, as well as the possible presence of a starburst-driven superwind in the Circinus galaxy.     

The S2N2 metallicity calibrator and the abundance gradient of M 33

We introduce the log(Hα/[S  ii ]λλ6717+6731) versus log(Hα/[N  ii ]λ6583) (S2N2) diagnostic diagram as a metallicity and ionization parameter indicator for H  ii regions in external galaxies. The location of H  ii regions in the S2N2 diagram was studied both empirically and theoretically. We found that, for a wide range of metallicities, the S2N2 diagram gives single-valued results in the metallicity–ionization parameter plane. We demonstrate that the S2N2 diagram is a powerful tool to estimate metallicities of high-redshift  ( z ∼ 2)  H  ii galaxies. Finally, we derive the metallicity for 76 H  ii regions in M 33 from the S2N2 diagram and calculate an O/H abundance gradient for this galaxy of −0.05 (±0.01) dex kpc⁻¹.     

Circumnuclear kinematics in NGC 5248: the origin of nuclear spiral arms

We present for the first time a two-dimensional velocity field of the central region of the grand-design spiral galaxy NGC 5248, at 0.9-arcsec spatial resolution. The H α velocity field is dominated by circular rotation. While no systematic streaming motions are seen in the area of the nuclear grand-design spiral or the circumnuclear ring, the amplitude of residual velocities, after subtracting a model circular velocity field, reaches 20 km s⁻¹ in projection. The rotation curve levels out at around 140 km s⁻¹, after a well-resolved and rather shallow rise. We have generated an analytical model for the nuclear spiral and fitted it to our observations to obtain estimates of the pattern speed of the spiral and the speed of sound in the central region of NGC 5248. Our results are consistent with a low pattern speed, suggesting that the nuclear spiral rotates with the same rate as the main spiral structure in NGC 5248, and thus that the spiral structure is coupled from scales of a few hundred parsecs to several kiloparsecs. We have also compared the observed structure and kinematics between the nuclear regions of NGC 5248 and M100. Several similarities and differences are discussed, including the location of the peak emission regions on major and minor axes, and the spiral arm streaming motions. We find no kinematic evidence for the presence of a nuclear bar in NGC 5248.     

Non-circular motion evidence in the circumnuclear region of M100 (NGC 4321)

We analyse new integral-field spectroscopy of the inner region (central 2.5 kpc) of the spiral galaxy NGC 4321 to study the peculiar kinematics of this region. Fourier analysis of the velocity residuals obtained by subtracting an axisymmetric rotation model from the Hα velocity field indicates that the distortions are global features generated by an   m = 2  perturbation of the gravitational potential which can be explained by the nuclear bar. This bar has been previously observed in the near-infrared but not in the optical continuum dominated by star formation. We detect the optical counterpart of this bar in the 2D distribution of the old stellar population (inferred from the equivalent width map of the stellar absorption lines). We apply the Tremaine–Weinberg method to the stellar velocity field to calculate the pattern speed of the inner bar, obtaining a value of  Ω_b= 160 ± 70 km s⁻¹ kpc⁻¹  . This value is considerably larger than the one obtained when a simple bar model is considered. However, the uncertainties in the pattern speed determination prevent us from giving support to alternative scenarios.     

The Hα luminosity function and star formation rate up to z ∼ 1

We describe ISAAC/ESO-VLT observations of the Hαλ6563 Balmer line of 33 field galaxies from the Canada–France Redshift Survey (CFRS) with redshifts selected between 0.5 and 1.1. We detect Hα in emission in 30 galaxies and compare the properties of this sample with the low-redshift sample of CFRS galaxies at   z ∼ 0.2  . We find that the Hα luminosity,   L (Hα)  , is tightly correlated to   M ( B _AB)  in the same way for both the low- and high-redshift samples.   L (Hα)  is also correlated to L ([O  ii ]λ3727), and again the relation appears to be similar at low and high redshifts. The ratio L (lsqb;O  ii ])/   L (Hα)  decreases for brighter galaxies by as much as a factor of 2 on average. Derived from the Hα luminosity function, the comoving Hα luminosity density increases by a factor 12 from  〈 z 〉= 0.2  to  〈 z 〉= 1.3  . Our results confirm a strong rise of the star formation rate (SFR) at   z < 1.3  , proportional to  (1 + z )^4.1±0.3  (with   H ₀= 50 km s⁻¹ Mpc⁻¹, q ₀= 0.5  ). We find an average  SFR(2800 Å)/SFR (Hα)  ratio of 3.2 using the Kennicutt SFR transformations. This corresponds to the dust correction that is required to make the near-ultraviolet data consistent with the reddening-corrected Hα data within the self-contained, I -selected CFRS sample.     

The universal rotation curve of spiral galaxies – II. The dark matter distribution out to the virial radius

In the current ΛCDM cosmological scenario, N -body simulations provide us with a universal mass profile, and consequently a universal equilibrium circular velocity of the virialized objects, as galaxies. In this paper we obtain, by combining kinematical data of their inner regions with global observational properties, the universal rotation curve of disc galaxies and the corresponding mass distribution out to their virial radius. This curve extends the results of Paper I, concerning the inner luminous regions of Sb–Im spirals, out to the edge of the galaxy haloes.     

HST imaging of the globular clusters in the Fornax cluster: NGC 1399 and NGC 1404

The Fornax cluster galaxies NGC 1399 and NGC 1404 are ideal for studying the effects of a cluster environment on globular cluster systems. Here we present new optical imaging of these two galaxies from both the Hubble Space Telescope 's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 and the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory 1.5-m telescope. The combination of both data sets provides a unique insight on the spatial and colour distribution of globular clusters. From B − I colours, we find that both galaxies have a broad globular cluster metallicity distribution that is inconsistent with a single population. Two Gaussians provide a reasonable representation of the metallicity distribution in each galaxy. The metal-rich subpopulation is more centrally concentrated than the metal-poor one. We show that the radial metallicity gradient can be explained by the changing relative mix of the two globular cluster subpopulations. We derive globular cluster surface density profiles, and find that they are flatter (i.e., more extended) than the underlying starlight. The total number of globular clusters and specific frequency are calculated to be N =5700±500, S_N =11.5±1.0 for NGC 1399, and N =725±145, S_N =2.0±0.5 for NGC 1404. Our results are compared with the expectations of globular cluster formation scenarios.     

GHASP: an Hα kinematic survey of spiral and irregular galaxies – V. Dark matter distribution in 36 nearby spiral galaxies

The results obtained from a study of the mass distribution of 36 spiral galaxies are presented. The galaxies were observed using Fabry–Perot interferometry as part of the GHASP survey. The main aim of obtaining high-resolution Hα 2D velocity fields is to define more accurately the rising part of the rotation curves which should allow to better constrain the parameters of the mass distribution. The Hα velocities were combined with low resolution H  i data from the literature, when available. Combining the kinematical data with photometric data, mass models were derived from these rotation curves using two different functional forms for the halo: an isothermal sphere (ISO) and a Navarro–Frenk–White (NFW) profile. For the galaxies already modelled by other authors, the results tend to agree. Our results point at the existence of a constant density core in the centre of the dark matter haloes rather than a cuspy core, whatever the type of the galaxy from Sab to Im. This extends to all types the result already obtained by other authors studying dwarf and low surface brightness galaxies but would necessitate a larger sample of galaxies to conclude more strongly. Whatever model is used (ISO or NFW), small core radius haloes have higher central densities, again for all morphological types. We confirm different halo scaling laws, such as the correlations between the core radius and the central density of the halo with the absolute magnitude of a galaxy: low-luminosity galaxies have small core radius and high central density. We find that the product of the central density with the core radius of the dark matter halo is nearly constant, whatever the model and whatever the absolute magnitude of the galaxy. This suggests that the halo surface density is independent from the galaxy type.     

Galaxies under the cosmic microscope: resolved spectroscopy and new constraints on the z= 1 Tully–Fisher relation

We exploit the gravitational potential of massive cluster lenses to probe the emission-line properties of six   z = 1  galaxies which appear as highly magnified luminous arcs. Using the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) integral field spectrograph together with detailed cluster lens models, we reconstruct the intrinsic morphologies and two-dimensional velocity fields in these galaxies on scales corresponds to ∼0.5 kpc (unlensed) at   z = 1  . Four of the galaxies have stable disc-like kinematics, whilst the other two resemble interacting or starburst galaxies. These galaxies lie close to the mean rest-frame I -band Tully–Fisher relation for nearby spirals suggesting a clear preference for hierarchical growth of structure. In the rest-frame B band, the observations suggest  0.5 ± 0.3 mag  of brightening, consistent with increased star-formation activity at   z = 1  . However, the galaxies with stable disc kinematics have more slowly rising rotation curves than expected from galaxies with similar surface brightness in the local Universe. We suggest that this may arise because the distant galaxies have lower bulge masses than their local counterparts. Whilst this study is based on only six galaxies, the gain in flux and in spatial resolution achieved via gravitational magnification provides a much more detailed view of the high-redshift Universe than that possible with conventional surveys.     

Hα photometry of Abell 2390

We present the results of a search for strong H α emission line galaxies (rest frame equivalent widths greater than 50 Å) in the z ≈0.23 cluster Abell 2390. The survey contains 1189 galaxies over 270 arcmin², and is 50 per cent complete at M _r ≈−17.5+5 log  h . The fraction of galaxies in which H α is detected at the 2 σ level rises from 0.0 in the central regions (excluding the cD galaxy) to 12.5±8 per cent at R ₂₀₀. For 165 of the galaxies in our catalogue, we compare the H α equivalent widths with their [O  ii ] λ 3727 equivalent widths, from the Canadian Network for Observational Cosmology (CNOC1) spectra. The fraction of strong H α emission line galaxies is consistent with the fraction of strong [O  ii ] emission galaxies in the CNOC1 sample: only 2±1 per cent have no detectable [O  ii ] emission and yet significant (>2 σ ) H α equivalent widths. Dust obscuration, non-thermal ionization, and aperture effects are all likely to contribute to this non-correspondence of emission lines. We identify six spectroscopically 'secure' k+a galaxies [ W ₀(O  ii )<5 Å and W ₀(H δ )≳5 Å]; at least two of these show strong signs in H α of star formation in regions that are covered by the slit from which the spectra were obtained. Thus, some fraction of galaxies classified as k+a based on spectra shortward of 6000 Å are likely to be undergoing significant star formation. These results are consistent with a 'strangulation' model for cluster galaxy evolution, in which star formation in cluster galaxies is gradually decreased, and is neither enhanced nor abruptly terminated by the cluster environment.     

The CIDA–UCM–Yale shallow survey for emission-line galaxies

We present the CIDA–UCM–Yale (Centro de Investigaciones de Astronomía, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, and Yale University) Survey (CUYS) for Hα+[N  ii ] 6549, 6584 Å emission-line galaxies (ELGs) using objective-prism spectra. The most important properties of a catalogue with 427 entries and significant subsets are analysed. The complete sample contains 183 statistically confirmed ELGs in a sky area of 151 deg² and redshift up to 0.14. We determine the parameters of the Hα luminosity function using the Hα+[N  ii ] flux directly measured on the ELG spectra in this sample, and the star formation rate density derived is in agreement with values reported in the literature. Finally, we study the clustering properties of local star-forming galaxies relative to quiescent ones from different perspectives. We find that ELGs avoid dense regions of quiescent galaxies and we propose a power-law expression to parametrize the relation between star formation rate density and environment volume density of ELGs.     

Are galaxies with active galactic nuclei a transition population?

We present the results of an analysis of a well-selected sample of galaxies with active and inactive galactic nuclei from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, in the range  0.01 < z < 0.16  . The SDSS galaxy catalogue was split into two classes of active galaxies, Type 2 active galactic nuclei (AGN) and composites, and one set of inactive, star-forming/passive galaxies. For each active galaxy, two inactive control galaxies were selected by matching redshift, absolute magnitude, inclination, and radius. The sample of inactive galaxies naturally divides into a red and a blue sequence, while the vast majority of AGN hosts occur along the red sequence. In terms of Hα equivalent width (EW), the population of composite galaxies peaks in the valley between the two modes, suggesting a transition population. However, this effect is not observed in other properties such as the colour–magnitude space or colour–concentration plane. Active galaxies are seen to be generally bulge-dominated systems, but with enhanced Hα emission compared to inactive red-sequence galaxies. AGN and composites also occur in less dense environments than inactive red-sequence galaxies, implying that the fuelling of AGN is more restricted in high-density environments. These results are therefore inconsistent with theories in which AGN host galaxies are a 'transition' population. We also introduce a systematic 3D spectroscopic imaging survey, to quantify and compare the gaseous and stellar kinematics of a well-selected, distance-limited sample of up to 20 nearby Seyfert galaxies, and 20 inactive control galaxies with well-matched optical properties. The survey aims to search for dynamical triggers of nuclear activity and address outstanding controversies in optical/infrared imaging surveys.     

Spin vector orientation of galaxies in the region 15h 48m≤α(2000) ≤ 19h 28m, −68°≤δ(2000) ≤−62°

We present an analysis of the orientations of 1433 galaxies found in the region  15^h 48^m≤α(2000) ≤ 19^h 28^m, −68°≤δ(2000) ≤−62°  . In this region we investigated three Abell clusters (S0794, S0797, S0805) of richness Class 0 and the Triangulum Australis cluster. Our aim is to examine non-random effects in galaxy orientations in clusters. In addition, we classified the investigated galaxies into subsamples on the basis of their axial ratio, major diameter and morphology. The spin vector orientations of total galaxies in the investigated region is found to be random. No preferred orientation is found in the clusters. We could not note any morphological dependence of the galaxy orientations in our samples. No preferred orientations can be seen for the spiral galaxies. The morphologically unidentified galaxies, galaxies having major diameters of <47 arcsec, and the nearly edge-on galaxies  ( b / a < 0.5, 0.4 < b / a ≤ 0.5)  show anisotropy: spin vectors of galaxies tend to be oriented perpendicular to the Local Supercluster plane and spin vector projections tend to point radially with respect to the Virgo cluster centre.     

Correlations of near-infrared, optical and X-ray luminosity for early-type galaxies

The relation between X-ray luminosity and near-infrared (NIR) luminosity for early-type galaxies has been examined. NIR luminosities should provide a superior measure of stellar mass compared to optical luminosities used in previous studies, especially if there is significant star formation or dust present in the galaxies. However, we show that the X-ray–NIR relations are remarkably consistent with the X-ray–optical relations. This indicates that the large scatter of the relations is dominated by scatter in the X-ray properties of early-type galaxies, and is consistent with early-types consisting of old, quiescent stellar populations.
We have investigated scatter in terms of environment, surface brightness profile, Mg₂, Hβ, Hγ line strength indices, spectroscopic age and nuclear Hα emission. We found that galaxies with high Mg₂ index, low Hβ and Hγ indices or a 'core' profile have a large scatter in L _X, whereas galaxies with low Mg₂, high Hβ and Hγ indices or 'power-law' profiles generally have   L _X < 10⁴¹ erg s⁻¹  . There is no clear trend in the scatter with environment or nuclear Hα emission.     

The cataclysmic variable period gap: still there

We have measured central line strengths for a complete sample of early-type galaxies in the Fornax cluster, comprising 11 elliptical and 11 lenticular galaxies, more luminous than M _B  = −17. In contrast to the elliptical galaxies in the sample studied by González (and recently revisited by Trager) we find that the Fornax ellipticals follow the locus of galaxies of fixed age in Worthey's models and have metallicities varying from roughly solar to three times solar. The lenticular galaxies, however, exhibit a substantial spread to younger luminosity-weighted ages, indicating a more extended star formation history. We present measurements of the more sensitive indices: C4668 and Hγ_A; these confirm and reinforce the conclusions that the elliptical galaxies are coeval and that only the lenticular galaxies show symptoms of late star formation. The inferred difference in the age distribution between lenticular and elliptical galaxies is a robust conclusion as the models generate consistent relative ages using different age and metallicity indicators even though the absolute ages remain uncertain. The young luminosity-weighted ages of the S0s in the Fornax cluster are consistent with the recent discovery that the fraction of S0 galaxies in intermediate-redshift clusters is a factor of 2–3 lower than found locally, and suggest that a fraction of the cluster spiral galaxy population has evolved to quiescence in the 5-Gyr interval from z  = 0.5 to the present. Two of the faintest lenticular galaxies in our sample have blue continua and strong Balmer-line absorption, suggesting starbursts ≲2 Gyr ago. These may be the low-redshift analogues of the starburst or post-starburst galaxies seen in clusters at z  = 0.3, similar to the Hδ-strong galaxies in the Coma cluster.     

Evolution of dwarf early-type galaxies – I. Spatially resolved stellar populations and internal kinematics of Virgo cluster dE/dS0 galaxies

Understanding the origin and evolution of dwarf early-type galaxies remains an important open issue in modern astrophysics. Internal kinematics of a galaxy contains signatures of violent phenomena which may have occurred, e.g. mergers or tidal interactions, while stellar population keeps a fossil record of the star formation history; therefore studying connection between them becomes crucial for understanding galaxy evolution. Here, in the first paper of the series, we present the data on spatially resolved stellar populations and internal kinematics for a large sample of dwarf elliptical (dE) and lenticular (dS0) galaxies in the Virgo cluster. We obtained radial velocities, velocity dispersions, stellar ages and metallicities out to 1–2 half-light radii by reanalysing already published long-slit and integral-field spectroscopic data sets using the nbursts full spectral fitting technique. Surprisingly, bright representatives of the dE/dS0 class (   M_B =−18.0  to −16.0 mag) look very similar to intermediate-mass and giant lenticulars and ellipticals: (1) their nuclear regions often harbour young metal-rich stellar populations always associated with the drops in the velocity dispersion profiles; (2) metallicity gradients in the main discs/spheroids vary significantly from nearly flat profiles to −0.9 dex   r ⁻¹_e  , i.e. somewhat three times steeper than for typical bulges; (3) kinematically decoupled cores were discovered in four galaxies, including two with very little, if any, large-scale rotation. These results suggest similarities in the evolutionary paths of dwarf and giant early-type galaxies and call for reconsidering the role of major mergers in the dE/dS0 evolution.