Astron. Astrophys. Suppl. Ser. 145, 425-443

Near-infrared probing of embedded structures in starburst and Seyfert galaxies^a

D. Greusard ¹, D. Friedli ⁴, H. Wozniak ², L. Martinet ¹, and P. Martin ³

Send offprint request: D. Greusard, e-mail: Didier.Greusard@obs.unige.ch

1 - Observatoire de Genève, CH-1290 Sauverny, Switzerland
2 - Observatoire Astronomique de Marseille-Provence, F-13248 Marseille Cedex 4, France
3 - Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, PO Box 1597, Kamuela, HI 96743, U.S.A.
4 - Gymnase de Nyon, CH-1260 Nyon, Switzerland

Received March 14; accepted May 27, 2000

Abstract:

Surface photometry in the J and $K^{\prime}$ bands of 15 southern Seyfert or starburst galaxies is presented. The detailed central morphology and structural properties of these objects were analyzed by fitting ellipses to isophotes. New central peculiar structures have been identified like, for instance, three double-barred systems (ESO215-G031; ESO320-G030; ESO443-G017), one object with a nested nuclear spiral structure at the center of a primary bar (NGC5135), one object with a nuclear bar without evidence of a large-scale bar (NGC4941), and one galaxy with a likely dissolved secondary bar within a primary one (ESO508-G005). The $J-K^{\prime}$ radial profile proved to be reasonably well linked with the presence of a starburst, but not with the Seyfert activity. For significant starbursts, the central $J-K^{\prime}$ value is 0.3 - 1.5magnitude larger than the disc one.

Key words: galaxies: structure -- galaxies: photometry -- galaxies: Seyfert -- galaxies: starburst -- infrared: galaxies