NEAR-INFRARED SURFACE PHOTOMETRY OF SPIRAL GALAXIES .1. THE DATA

We present K'-band surface photometry of a sample of 31 inclined Sa-Sc d galaxies, together with additional J- and H-band data for four of th em. In this first paper of a series, profiles are presented, together with global and isophotal parameters. Our profiles are compared to sim ilar B, R and I data collected from other sources. Three galaxies exhi bit previously unknown small bars in their center, while in five other s, such bars may also be present. Four objects present a narrow elonga ted feature in their center aligned with their major axis, which could be an inward extension of the disk. A few galaxies display very thin spiral arms. Color-color diagrams indicate that the extinction inside the four galaxies for which we have JHK' images is limited to Av < 2.