Stellar Systems Group

Beletsky, Y.; Gadotti, D. A.; Moiseev, A.; Alves, J.; Kniazev, A.
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, Volume 418, Issue 1, pp. L6-L10.
11/2011

ABSTRACT

We present an analysis of the circumnuclear structure of NGC 1316 using both near-infrared imaging and stellar kinematics. 2D decomposition of the images suggests the presence of a structure that resembles inner gaseous spiral arms, at about 5-15 arcsec from the centre (≈500 to 1500 pc). We also find a disc-like stellar structure with radius less than 200 pc. Analysis of previously published SINFONI integral field kinematics data indicates a kinematically decoupled core in the same spatial scale, further evidence that indeed the nuclear stellar structure found is a kinematically cold stellar disc. We suggest that both newly found structural components are the result of a recent accretion of a companion galaxy.