The velocity dispersion anisotropy and mass-to-light ratio of elliptical galaxies

Axisymmetric dynamical models are constructed for 37 bright elliptical galaxies for which high-quality photometrical, and both major and minor axis kinematical data are available in the literature. The models are of the type used previously by Binney, Davies & Illingworth and van der Marel, Binney & Davies. The projected kinematics are predicted from the observed surface photometry, assuming a constant mass-tolight ratio, and a velocity ellipsoid with |σᵣ=σθ[i.e f=f (E,LZ)]|⁠.