Radial hypothesis

The axial ratio distribution for a sample of SBc galaxies deviates from a flat distribution in ways that are consistent with predictions of the projection effect model for barred spiral galaxies. The axial ratio distribution for a corresponding sample of non-barred Sc galaxies is shown to have, bin for bin, a reciprocal set of deviations from a flat distribution. When the two samples are combined, the deviations counterbalance each other and a nearly flat axial ratio distribution is recovered. This latter result is also consistent with predictions of the projection effect model.