Michele Cappellari

Abstract:

We present new techniques to perform adaptive spatial binning of two-dimensional (2D) data to reach a chosen constant signal-to-noise ratio per bin. These methods are required particularly for the proper analysis of Integral Field Spectrograph (IFS) observations, but can also be used for standard photometric imagery. Various schemes axe tested and compared using data obtained with the panoramic IFS SAURON.

Abstract:

The SAURON project will deliver two-dimensional spectroscopic data of a sample of nearby early-type galaxies with unprecedented quality. In this paper, we focus on the mapping of their stellar populations using the SAURON data, and present some preliminary results on a few prototypical cases.

Abstract:

The panoramic integral-field spectrograph SAURON is currently being used to map the stellar kinematics, gaseous kinematics, and stellar populations of a large number of early-type galaxies and bulges. Here, we describe SAURON observations of cold stellar disks embedded in spheroids (NGC 3384, NGC 4459, NGC 4526), we illustrate the kinematics and ionization state of large-scale gaseous disks (NGC 4278, NGC 7742), and we show preliminary comparisons of SAURON data with barred galaxy N-body simulations (NGC 3623).