Sara Ellison

Title: Gas flows in galaxies: mergers versus bars

Abstract: Interactions and mergers are transformational processes in a galaxy's history and represent a cornerstone of the hierarchical picture of galaxy evolution.  In this talk, I will describe work that has been carried out with a large sample of low redshift galaxy mergers selected from the SDSS which is giving us unprecedented insight into the internal changes experienced by a galaxy during a merger.  These changes can be observed not only through triggered star formation, but also changes in the galactic metallicity and AGN activity.  I will compare the impact of merger-induced changes with similar gas flows triggered through secular processes, namely through the presence of a strong bar