Near-infrared imaging of early-type galaxies. II. Global photometric parameters

An imaging survey of 341 nearby early-type galaxies in the near-infrared K- band atmospheric window (2.2 mu m) is described. The galaxies primarily res ide in 13 nearby rich clusters (85%), while some additional galaxies are dr awn from loose groups (12%) and the general held (3%). Surface photometry w as measured for the entire sample. Detailed corrections were derived from a n extensive grid of seeing-convolved r(1/4) models and then applied to the isophotal surface brightness, aperture magnitude, and ellipticity profiles. Global photometric parameters were derived from this seeing-corrected phot ometry. More than 25% of the sample has been observed at least twice, and t hese repeat measurements demonstrate the small internal uncertainties on th e derived global photometric parameters. Extensive comparisons with apertur e photometry from the literature demonstrate that the photometric system is fully consistent with other photometric systems to less than or equal to 0 .01 mag and confirm the estimates of internal random uncertainties. Additio nal global parameters are drawn from the literature in a homogeneous manner in order to construct a large catalog of galaxy properties: 95% of the gal axies have a velocity dispersion, 69% have a Mg-2 index, 80% have an optica l r(eff) and <mu >(eff), 82% have a D-n, and 81% have a derived optical - i nfrared color measurement. This large data set provides excellent source ma terial for investigations of the physical origins of the global scaling rel ations of early-type galaxies, velocity fields in the local universe, and c omparisons to higher redshift early-type galaxies.