  Surface photometry in the J and K' bands of 15 southern Seyfert or starburst
galaxies is presented. The detailed central morphology and structural
properties of these objects were analyzed by fitting ellipses to isophotes. New
central peculiar structures have been identified like, for instance, three
double-barred systems (ESO 215-G031; ESO 320-G030; ESO 443-G017), one object
with a nested nuclear spiral structure at the center of a primary bar (NGC
5135), one object with a nuclear bar without evidence of a large-scale bar (NGC
4941), and one galaxy with a likely dissolved secondary bar within a primary
one (ESO 508-G005). The J-K' radial profile proved to be reasonably well linked
with the presence of a starburst, but not with the Seyfert activity. For
significant starbursts, the central J-K' value is 0.3-1.5 magnitude larger than
the disc one.

Astrophysics