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Density profiles of galaxy bulges and nuclei
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 May 2006
Abstract
The bulge contribution to the inner density profile of a galaxy is well traced by the bulge's NIR surface brightness profile. We map the surface brightness profiles of bulges using HST/NICMOS imaging. Most bulges show nuclear components of 20–200 pc scales, and frequently also unresolved nuclear star clusters (<20 pc). These nuclear components are the densest parts of bulges, and gave bulges the “reputation” of having high stellar concentration. Actually, the Sérsic r1/n bulges typically have low concentrations, 1 < n < 2.5. We cannot confirm the bi-modal distribution of bulge profile slopes reported by others, and suggest that the alleged bi-modality is related to selectively excluding/including nuclear components in low/high-n bulges.
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- © EAS, EDP Sciences, 2006