THE INTERNAL DYNAMICS OF VERY FLATTENED NORMAL GALAXIES - STELLAR DISTRIBUTION-FUNCTIONS FOR NGC-4697

Using the photometry and the kinematic data, part of which acquired wi th the NTT, we constructed a 2-integral and a 3-integral distribution function for NGC 4697. We detected a nuclear dust lane at 3.4 '' or 0. 4 kpc from the centre. A comparison of the Lucy-deprojection method an d the multi-gaussian expansion method showed that the latter offers a number of advantages, among which a qualitatively better fit and bette r controllable convergence. Futhermore, we show that a 2-integral mode l cannot be excluded for as far as the Satoh parameter Ic is allowed t o vary. The 3-integral model is based on a Stackel third integral. The original potential is retained where appropriate, in order to minimis e errors due to the Stackel approximation. On the whole, the 3-integra l model produces more satisfying results than the 2-integral model, an d is better in handling some peculiarities in the kinematic data. For both models we show detailed contour plots for all deprojected moments up to order 2. The mass-to-light ratio appears to be a fairly well de termined (M/L)(B) = 4.8h(50), and is much better constrained than woul d be the case for spherical anisotropic models with comparable data.