A K-band μ0-log h relation for early-type spiral galaxy disks

The K-band light-profiles from a diameter-limited sample of low-inclination (de Jong and van der Kruit, 1994) and high-inclination (Andredakis, Peletier, and Balcells, 1995) disk galaxies have been modelled with a seeing convolved Sersic r1/n bulge and an exponential disk. Rather than a constant central disk surface brightness, in the near-infrared μ0,K is shown to decrease with the logarithm of the disk scale-length (log h) – with a correlation coefficient equal to 0.78. Galaxy types Scd or later are observed not to partake in this relation.