The influence of bars in the star formation history and chemical evolution of disk galaxies

This is a pilot study part of a larger program devoted to understand the influence of bars in the evolution of galaxy disks. Some of the goals of this observational program are to compare the stellar metallicity gradients of galaxies with and without bars, the role of bars in the redistribution of mass and angular momentum and to study the evolution of the metallicity gradients with time. Some promising results are presented as well as some words of caution.