Contents

• • • Introduction
      • The vertical structure of disk galaxies
      • The thick disk
      • Disk colour and colour gradients in edge-on galaxies
      • Research objectives
    • The Data
      • Sample & observing runs
      • NIR imaging background and observations
      • Data reduction
      • Photometric calibration
    • Disk Models : Structural Parameters
      • Models of surface brightness profiles
      • One dimensional (1D) disk models
      • Two dimensional (2D) disk models
      • Creating surface brightness profiles
      • Fitting method
      • Weighting
      • Tests on artificial galaxies
    • Results
      • Sample selection
      • 1D: Constrained two disk fits
      • 1D: Alternative fitting function fits
      • 2D: Two disk (thin + thick) Fits
      • 1D: Single disk fits
      • Fits to artifical galaxies
    • Discussion
      • Existence & parameters of thick disks in late-type disk galaxies
      • 1D two disk model versus 2D two disk model
      • Vertical structures revisited?
      • Comparison with literature
    • Vertical colour profiles & gradients
      • Creating colour profiles
      • Determining colour gradients
      • Results & discussion
    • Conclusions
    • Galaxy Atlas
    • Single Disk Radial Behaviour of Artificial Galaxies
    • Colour Profiles & Gradients
  
  
• Bibliography