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J. D. P. Kenney (Yale University), E. J. Murphy (Tufts University)
We present integrated field spectroscopy of the stellar kinematics in the peculiar edge-on Virgo cluster E7/S0 galaxy NGC~4550, which has been widely noted for its cospatial counterrotating stellar components. While the line strengths of the 2 counterrotating components are nearly equal along the major axis, as was previously known, our new data from the Densepak Array on the WIYN telescope reveal markedly different spatial distributions for the 2 components. We find that the stellar component with narrower lines has a much smaller vertical scale height, and therefore a much smaller mass, than the stellar component with broader lines. Instead of the previous view of this galaxy as an equal mass merger remnant with little angular momentum, this galaxy is likely an intermediate mass ratio merger remnant with significant angular momentum.