Brightest Cluster Galaxy Profile Shapes
Abstract
We model the surface brightness profiles of a sample of 119 Abell brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs), finding a generalized de Vaucouleurs R^1/n^ law, where n is a free parameter, to be appropriate. Departures from the R^1/4^ law are shown to be a real feature of galaxy profiles and not due to observational errors or coupling of n with the other model parameters. BCGs typically have values of n greater than 4. The shape parameter n is shown to correlate with effective half-light radius, such that the larger BCGs have larger values of n. This continues a trend noticed amongst ordinary elliptical galaxies and dwarf elliptical galaxies, such that the brighter galaxies have larger values of n.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- July 1996
- DOI:
- 10.1086/177440
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/9603006
- Bibcode:
- 1996ApJ...465..534G
- Keywords:
-
- GALAXIES: CLUSTERS: GENERAL;
- GALAXIES: ELLIPTICAL AND LENTICULAR;
- CD;
- GALAXIES: PHOTOMETRY;
- GALAXIES: STRUCTURE;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- To appear in Ap.J., 16 pages