Integral Field Spectroscopy and multi-wavelength imaging of the nearby
  spiral galaxy NGC5668: an unusual flattening in metallicity gradient
  We present the analysis of the full bi-dimensional optical spectral cube of
the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 5668, observed with the PPAK IFU at the Calar Alto
observatory 3.5m telescope. We make use of broad-band imaging to provide
further constraints on the evolutionary history of the galaxy. This dataset
will allow us to improve our understanding of the mechanisms that drive the
evolution of disks. We investigated the properties of 62 H II regions and
concentric rings in NGC 5668 and derived maps in ionized-gas attenuation and
chemical (oxygen) abundances. We find that, while inwards of
r\,$\sim\,36",\sim$\,4.4kpc\,$\sim$\,0.36\,$(\frac {D_{25}}{2})$ the derived
O/H ratio follows the radial gradient typical of spiral galaxies, the abundance
gradient beyond r$\sim36"$ flattens out. The analysis of the multi-wavelength
surface brightness profiles of NGC 5668 is performed by fitting these profiles
with those predicted by chemo-spectrophotometric evolutionary models of galaxy
disks. From this, we infer a spin and circular velocity of $\lambda$=0.053 and
v$_{c}$=167\,km\,s$^{-1}$, respectively. The metallicity gradient and rotation
curve predicted by this best-fitting galaxy model nicely match the values
derived from the IFU observations, especially within r\,$\sim36\arcsec$. The
same is true for the colors despite of some small offsets and a reddening in
the bluest colors beyond that radius. On the other hand, deviations of some of
these properties in the outer disk indicate that a secondary mechanism,
possibly gas transfer induced by the presence of a young bar, must have played
a role in shaping the recent chemical and star formation histories of NGC 5668.
