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 ^ { \prime \prime } \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 \sim 36 ^ { \prime \prime } 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 \sim 36 \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 .