Nuclear star formation in the hot-spot galaxy HGC 2903

Circumnuclear regions (CNR) of enhanced star formation (SF) in disk galaxies are usually associated with the presence of stellar bars. Since bars are believed to be one of the most effective mechanisms for transporting material into the central regions of galaxies, CNRs are excellent laboratories for the study of the effects of inflow processes on the triggering of SF (see Knapen 1999 for a review on the subject).