Deficiency of ``Thin'' Stellar Bars in Seyfert Host Galaxies

Shlosman, Isaac; Peletier, Reynier F.; Knapen, Johan H.
Referencia bibliográfica

The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 535, Issue 2, pp. L83-L86.

Fecha de publicación:
6
2000
Número de autores
3
Número de autores del IAC
0
Número de citas
49
Número de citas referidas
35
Descripción
Using all available major samples of Seyfert galaxies and their corresponding closely matched control samples of nonactive galaxies, we find that the bar ellipticities (or axial ratios) in Seyfert galaxies are systematically different from those in nonactive galaxies. Overall, there is a deficiency of bars with large ellipticities (i.e., ``thin'' or ``strong'' bars) in Seyfert galaxies compared to nonactive galaxies. Accompanied with a large dispersion due to small number statistics, this effect is strictly speaking at the 2 σ level. To obtain this result, the active galaxy samples of near-infrared surface photometry were matched to those of normal galaxies in type, host galaxy ellipticity, absolute magnitude, and, to some extent, redshift. We discuss possible theoretical explanations of this phenomenon within the framework of galactic evolution, and, in particular, of radial gas redistribution in barred galaxies. Our conclusions provide further evidence that Seyfert hosts differ systematically from their nonactive counterparts on scales of a few kiloparsecs.