Ring or ring-like patterns are found in up to 50% of normal disk galaxies. These features occur in three basic types: nuclear, inner, and outer rings, each with their own unique attributes. Rings exhibit a wide variety of star formation histories, from starbursts to quiescent. They appear to influence the HI gas distribution and profile breaks in galaxies. Several studies have noted a preponderance of ring, pseudoring and bar features in Seyfert galaxies. The most popular theoretical framework links the rings to orbital resonances with a bar, oval, or spiral density wave. This intimately connects rings to secular evolution of galaxy disks. Not all galaxies that (likely) have resonances exhibit rings, leading to other competing theories. A few percent of rings are also formed in violent gravitational encounters.

The origin and role of rings in the dynamics and evolution of galaxies has never been the focus of a major meeting. The goal of this meeting is to examine what can be learned about galaxy evolution from the study of galactic rings and related structures

KEY TOPICS

• Bars, spirals and rings in disk galaxies
• Secular evolution and dynamics of ringed galaxies
• AGN, star formation and feedback connections
• Polar, collisional, and accretion rings
• Rings in a cosmological context
• Rings in Local Group galaxies
• Shocks, Lindblad Resonances and manifolds
• Formation and destruction of rings and bars

This site contains slides of presenters at the Galactic Rings meeting.

For details on this conference, please visit:

www.galacticrings.ua.edu