LARGE-SCALE OUTFLOWS IN EDGE-ON SEYFERT-GALAXIES .1. OPTICAL EMISSION-LINE IMAGING AND OPTICAL SPECTROSCOPY

We have launched a search for large-scale (greater than or similar to 1 kpc) minor axis outflows in edge-on Seyfert galaxies in order to ass ess their frequency of occurrence and to study their properties. Here we present optical continuum and H alpha + [N II] line images and/or m inor axis long-slit spectra of 22 edge-on Seyfert galaxies. Six of the se galaxies show at least one of the following: (i) bi-symmetric H alp ha halos extending along the minor axis, (ii) bright emission-line com plexes at distances greater than or similar to 4 kpc (in projection) o ut of the disk, and (iii) double-peaked emission-line profiles from th e gas along the minor axis, suggesting that a windblown bubble is pres ent. Our results indicate that greater than or similar to 1/4 of Seyfe rt galaxies have good evidence for minor axis galactic outflows. Kinet ic luminosities of the galactic outflows in our sample Seyfert galaxie s are similar to 10(40)-10(42) ergs s(-1), assuming all the observed m inor axis emission is produced by the outflow. These values are, in ge neral, similar to 0.1 as large as those well-studied cases of superwin ds in starburst galaxies (Heckman, Armus, & Miley 1990). However, far- infrared luminosities of our sample Seyfert galaxies are also similar to 0.1 as large. Both starburst-driven superwinds and wide-angled outf lows from the active galactic nucleus are possible explanations for th e observed large-scale outflows.