Correlated projected properties of triaxial mass models

Abstract

Triaxial mass models producing ellipticity variations and isophote twists are investigated. The spherical mass distributions are made triaxial by adding two more terms, each consisting of a radial function muliplied by a low order spherical harmonic. Modified Hubble mass model and ?-models of Dehnen are investigated. It is found that the projected properties are correlated when a model with a given set of intrinsic parameters, is viewed in all possible orientations. We propose that these correlation patterns carry the signature of intrinsic shape parameters of the triaxial mass model.