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C. Scarlata (STScI and Padova), M. Stiavelli, R. van der Marel (STScI), D. Axon (University of Hertfordshire), J. Binney (Oxford University), A. Capetti (Torino), M. Carollo (Columbia University), L. Dressel (STScI), H. Ford (Johns Hopkins University), J. Gerssen (STScI), M. Hughes (University of Hertfordshire), M. Macchetto (STScI), A. Marconi (Arcetri), M. Merrfield (Nottingham University), W. Sparks (STScI), Z. Tsvetanov (Johns Hopkins University)
We present the analysis of HST-STIS images of a volume limited sample of 54 spiral galaxies. We have already obtained STIS long-slit spectroscopic observations for this sample in order to determine the nuclear rotation curve of the ionized disk gas, and to measure the total dynamical mass within a radius of ~q10 pc. Here we describe the optical morphological properties of the sample, derive the surface brightness profiles in the central 5\times5 arcsec, and model the profiles with both a power-law I(r) ~q r-\gamma and a Nuker law.