Open AccessMorphological classification of the OSU Bright Spiral Galaxy Survey
Author(s) -
Whyte L. F.,
Abraham R. G.,
Merrifield M. R.,
Eskridge P. B.,
Frogel J. A.,
Pogge R. W.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2002.05879.x
Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , barred spiral galaxy , galaxy , bar (unit) , spiral galaxy , lenticular galaxy , bimodality , unbarred spiral galaxy , grand design spiral galaxy , astronomy , luminous infrared galaxy , meteorology
To quantify the distribution of bar shapes in spiral galaxies, we have analysed 113 H ‐band and 89 B ‐band galaxy images from the Ohio State University Bright Spiral Galaxy Survey. Parameters measuring bar shape and position along the Hubble sequence were obtained in each waveband. Evidence was found for a bimodality in the distribution of bar shape, implying that barred and unbarred galaxies are not just the extrema of a single distribution, and that any evolution between these two states must occur on a rapid time‐scale. Objective bar shapes measured in the H ‐band were found to be more closely related to visual classifications than B ‐band bar strengths, as the B ‐band images are somewhat compromised by localized star formation, especially in later type systems. Galaxies were found to be more centrally concentrated in the infrared. Later type galaxies showed greater asymmetry in the optical than the infrared, presumably again owing to localized star formation, but on average the bar shapes in the two bands were found to be the same.