ARE (PSEUDO)BULGES IN ISOLATED GALAXIES ACTUALLY PRIMORDIAL RELICS?

Fernandez Lorenzo, M.; Sulentic, J.; Verdes-Montenegro, L.; Blasco-Herrera, J.; Argudo-Fernandez, M.; Garrido, J.; Ramirez-Moreta, P.; Ruiz, J. E.; Sanchez-Exposito, S.; Santander-Vela, J. D.

Abstract

We present structural parameters and (g-i) bulge/disk colors for a large sample (189) of isolated AMIGA galaxies. The structural parameters of bulges were derived from the two-dimensional bulge/disk/bar decomposition of Sloan Digital Sky Survey i-band images using GALFIT. Galaxies were separated between classical bulges (n(b) > 2.5) and pseudobulges (n(b) 2.5), resulting in a dominant pseudobulge population (94%) with only 12 classical bulges. In the (e)>-R-e plane, pseudobulges are distributed below the elliptical relation (smaller R-e and fainter mu(e)), with the closest region to the Kormendy relation populated by those pseudobulges with larger values of B/T. We derived (g-i) bulge colors using aperture photometry and find that pseudobulges show median colors (g-i)(b) similar to 1.06, while their associated disks are much bluer, (g-i)(d) similar to 0.77. Moreover, 64% (113/177) of pseudobulges follow the red sequence of early-type galaxies. Bluer pseudobulges tend to be located in galaxies with the highest likelihood of tidal perturbation. The red bulge colors and low B/T values for AMIGA isolated galaxies are consistent with an early formation epoch and not much subsequent growth. Properties of bulges in isolated galaxies contrast with a picture where pseudobulges grow continuously via star formation. They also suggest that environment could be playing a role in rejuvenating the pseudobulges.

Más información

Título según WOS: ID WOS:000338504500020 Not found in local WOS DB
Título de la Revista: ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS
Volumen: 788
Número: 2
Editorial: IOP PUBLISHING LTD
Fecha de publicación: 2014
DOI:

10.1088/2041-8205/788/2/L39

Notas: ISI