HST Snapshot Survey of 3CR Radio Source Counterparts. III. Radio Galaxies with z<0.1

Session 52 - Source Surveys and CMB Radiation.
Display session, Wednesday, June 10
Atlas Ballroom,

[52.04] HST Snapshot Survey of 3CR Radio Source Counterparts. III. Radio Galaxies with z<0.1

A. R. Martel, S. A. Baum, W. B. Sparks, E. Wyckoff, J. A. Biretta, D. Golombek, F. D. Macchetto (STScI), P. J. McCarthy (Carnegie Inst.), S. de Koff, G. K. Miley (Leiden Observatory)

We present and describe optical counterparts to forty-six 3CR radio galaxies of redshifts less than 0.1 that were imaged with HST's WFPC2 camera through the broad-band F702W filter as part of the 3CR Snapshot Survey.

At the 0''.1 resolution of the images, a wealth of detail is visible. Approximately 87% of the galaxies are ellipticals and nearly all reside in groups or clusters of galaxies of various richness and compactness. Nearby elliptical companions of slightly smaller size and mass are common. Dust is prevalent in the cores of the 3C hosts --- nearly half of the galaxies possess some type of dust structure, such as irregular dust lanes, filaments or disks. Besides the well-known dust disks of 3C 264 and 3C 270, we have found five new candidates in 3C 31, 3C 40, 3C 296, 3C 449, and 3C 465 as well as in the central regions of the nearby neighbors of 3C 31 and 3C 465. The outer isophotes of the host galaxies harboring dust disks are often boxy. Our sample includes six confirmed optical synchrotron jets in 3C 15, 3C 66B, 3C 78, 3C 264, 3C 274, and 3C 371, or approximately 13% of the sample. Unresolved nuclei, consistent with the PSF of WFPC2, are found in 43-54% of the galaxies and in the majority of galaxies with dust disks and optical jets.

Program listing for Wednesday