We have obtained high angular resolution, high signal-to-noise spectra of the
Calcium triplet absorption lines on the photometric axes of the stellar
spheroid in the polar disk galaxy NGC4650A. Along the major axis, the observed
rotation and velocity dispersion measurements show the presence of a
kinematically decoupled nucleus, and a flat velocity dispersion profile. The
minor axis kinematics is determined for the first time: along this direction
some rotation is measured, and the velocity dispersion is nearly constant and
slightly increases at larger distances from the center. The new high resolution
kinematic data suggest that the stellar component in NGC4650A resembles a
nearly-exponential oblate spheroid supported by rotation. The main implications
of these results on the previous mass models for NGC4650A are discussed.
Moreover, the new kinematic data set constraints on current models for the
formation scenarios of Polar Ring Galaxies (PRGs), supporting a slow accretion
rather then a secondary strong dissipative event.Comment: 25 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical
Journa