Characterization of galactic bars from

Context. Stellar bars play an essential role in the secular evolution of disk galaxies because they are responsible for the redistribution of matter and angular momentum. Dynamical models predict that bars become stronger and longer in time, while their rotation speed slows down. Aims. We use the Spitzer Survey of Stellar Structure in Galaxies (S4G) 3.6 μm imaging to study the properties (length and strength) and fraction of bars at z = 0 over a wide range of galaxy masses (M∗ ≈ 108−1011 M⊙) and Hubble types (−3 ≤ T ≤ 10). Methods. We calculated gravitational forces from the 3.6 μm images for galaxies with a disk inclination lower than 65°. We used the maximum of the tangential-to-radial force ratio in the bar region (Qb) as a measure of the bar-induced perturbation strength for a sample of ~600 barred galaxies. We also used the maximum of the normalized m = 2 Fourier density amplitude (A2max) to characterize the bar. Bar sizes were estimated i) visually; ii) from ellipse fitting; iii) from the radii of the strongest torque; and iv) from the radii of the largest m = 2 Fourier amplitude in the bar region. By combining our force calculations with the H