2004AJ....127.1982B -
Astron. J., 127, 1982-2001 (2004/April-0)
A Hubble space telescope study of star formation in the inner resonance ring of NGC 3081.
BUTA R.J., BYRD G.G. and FREEMAN T.
Abstract (from CDS):
We present Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 images of the inner regions of NGC 3081, an absolute magnitude MB=-20.0 early-type barred spiral having four well-defined resonance rings: a nuclear ring, an inner ring, an outer R1ring, and an outer R'2pseudoring. Here we focus on a photometric study of the inner ring, a feature likely associated with an inner 4:1 resonance near the ends of the bar. The ring is notable for its high contrast and sharp definition, which is due to a significant degree of active star formation. The ring is also notable for its significant intrinsic elongation and parallel alignment with the bar. These characteristics influence the way star-forming sites are distributed around the ring. The ring is lined by numerous blue sources, many of which appear to be slightly diffuse compared with the stellar point-spread function. These blue sources are strongly concentrated within ±60° of the bar axis and follow the Hα distribution well. The blue sources are much larger than typical Galactic open or globular clusters and may represent young massive clusters like the ``populous clusters'' of the LMC and objects seen previously mainly in intermediate- to late-type spiral galaxies. We also present an analysis of the integrated light of the inner ring, to deduce information on its star formation history. A profile analysis is used to separate the ring from the background old disk starlight. High-resolution Fourier analysis is used to search for wavelength-dependent phase shifts along the ring to determine if star-forming sites stay in the ring as they age. The results give an intriguing picture of a galaxy in an advanced evolutionary state where periodic orbits are clearly manifested in the morphology.
Abstract Copyright:
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Journal keyword(s):
Galaxies: Individual: NGC Number: NGC 3081 - Galaxies: Photometry - Galaxies: Spiral - Galaxies: Structure
VizieR on-line data:
<Available at CDS (J/AJ/127/1982): table3.dat>
Nomenclature:
Table 3: [BBF2004] NN (Nos 1-58).
Status at CDS
:
All or part of tables of objects could be ingested in SIMBAD with priority 2.
Simbad objects:
14
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