Kinematic Asymmetries in a Broad Galaxy Sample

Abstract

We analyze asymmetries in the gas rotation curves of 113 galaxies drawn from the Nearby Field Galaxy Survey, spanning a broad range of luminosities and morphologies. If the origin of the rotation curve is chosen to minimize the asymmetry, then ~23% of sample galaxies show asymmetry >5% within 1.3r_e. However, not all gas kinematic asymmetries indicate asymmetries in the underlying potential.

2 pages, 2 figures, to appear in the proceedings of "Galaxy Disks and Disk Galaxies," eds. J. G. Funes & E. M. Corsini (ASP Conference Series). Uses newpasp.sty (included)