Kinematics and dynamics of the "superthin" edge-on disk galaxy IC 5249

Abstract

We present spectroscopic observations of the stellar motions in the disk of the superthin edge-on spiral galaxy IC 5249 and re-analyse synthesis observations of the HI. We find that the HI rotation curve rises initially to about 90-100 km/s, but contrary to the conclusion of Abe et al. (1999) flattens well before the edge of the optical disk. Over most part of the optical disk we have been able to establish that the (tangential) stellar velocity dispersion is 25-30 km/s. From earlier surface photometry we adopt a value for the radial scalelength of the disk of 7 +/- 1 kpc, a vertical scaleheight of 0.65 +/- 0.05 kpc and a disk truncation radius of 17 +/- 1 kpc. The very thin appearance of IC 5249 on the sky is the result of a combination of a low (face-on) surface brightness, a long scalelength and a a sharp truncation at only about 2.5 scalelengths. From various arguments we derive the stellar velocity dispersions at a position one radial scalelength as sigma_R about 35 km/s, sigma_{theta} about 30 km/s and sigma_z about 20 km/s. This is comparable to the values for the disk of our Galaxy in the solar neighborhood.

11 pages and 8 figures. Accepted for Astronomy and Astrophysics (September 2001)