Fourier-derived parameters of the CIG sample

The bars of Sb galaxies are ~ three times longer than the bars in Sc types, consistent with our previous study. We find that the longer bars are not necessarily stronger (as quantified by the torque Q_b_measure), but longer bars show a higher contrast A_2b_, in very good agreement with theoretical predictions. Our data suggest that bar and spiral components are rather independent in the sense that the torque strengths of the two components are not correlated.

The total strength Q_g_ is a very reliable tracer of the bar strength measure Q_b_, the two quantities showing a very tight linear correlation. Comparison with a similar sample of disc galaxies (same morphological range) extracted from the OSUBGS (Ohio State University Bright Galaxy Survey) indicates that the isolated CIG/AMIGA galaxies host significantly longer Fourier bars and possibly show a different distribution of spiral torque Q_s_.

The Fourier analysis also revealed a potential case of counterwinding spiral structure (KIG652/NGC5768), which deserves further kinematic study. We find that m=2 (i.e. dominating two-armed pattern) is the most common spiral arm multiplicity among the sample of Sb-Sc CIG/AMIGA galaxies (~40 per cent), m=2 and 3 and m=1 and 2 are found in ~28 and ~13 per cent of isolated galaxies, respectively.