ANISOTROPIC RADIO AND OPTICAL-EMISSION IN THE SEYFERT NUCLEUS OF NGC-3227

We present a high-sensitivity study of the photoionized and relativist ic plasma associated with the Seyfert nucleus of NGC 3227. [O III] 500 7-Angstrom images of the high-excitation ionized gas show an asymmetri c distribution extending similar to 7 arcsec to the north-east (NE) of the optical continuum nucleus. The axis of symmetry of the [O III] 50 07-Angstrom structure is along PA similar to 30 degrees, and could be consistent with photoionization by a cone of UV continuum from the nuc leus. Long-slit spectroscopy shows that the [O III] 5007-Angstrom emit ting gas has relatively broad lines (similar to 250 km s(-1)) typical of a 'narrow-line region' rather than an 'extended narrow-line region' . MERLIN images at wavelengths of 6 and 18 cm reveal a 0.4-arcsec doub le radio source. The PA of the double is similar to - 10 degrees and h ence does not align with the symmetry axis of the [O III] 5007-Angstro m structure. We consider a number of mechanisms to account for this mi salignment, ranging from the effect of 'density bounding' of collimate d UV emission, to the possibility that the ionized gas is flowing out from the nucleus, along a density gradient, in a different direction f rom the radio collimation. We tentatively conclude that NGC 3227 may r epresent a case in which the radio structure and [O III] 5007-Angstrom gas are physically misaligned.