Michele Cappellari

Abstract:

Kinematic and population studies show that bulges are generally rotationally flattened systems similar to low-luminosity ellipticals. However, observations with state-of-the-art integral field spectrographs, such as SAURON, indicate that the situation is much more complex, and allow us to investigate phenomena such as triaxiality, kinematic decoupling and population substructure, and to study their connection to current formation and evolution scenarios for bulges of early-type galaxies. We present the examples of two SO bulges from galaxies in our sample of nearby galaxies: one that shows all the properties expected from classical bulges (NGC 5866), and another case that presents kinematic features appropriate for barred disk galaxies (NGC 7332).

Abstract:

By incorporating spatial coverage with the spectral dimension, integral-field spectroscopy is uniquely suited for exploiting the capabilities of adaptive optics (AO) systems. OASIS is a lenslet-based integral-field spectrograph designed to perform high-resolution observations on AO-corrected sources, operating at visible wavelengths. This instrument was commissioned at the William Herschel Telescope, La Palma, in July 2003 to work with the ING's AO system, NAOMI. Here we present an overview of the capabilities of the OASIS+NAOMI system, and show results obtained using this technique. The science presented here is a small preview of what will be possible for a large number of objects when the GLAS laser guide system is operational.