Abstract details

Recent observations have revelaed a class of extremely gas-rich early-type galaxies. According to simulations, such systems could form during the merging of gas-rich galaxies. However, it is also possible that they galaxies accreted gas from the integalactic medium, in particular via "cold accretion". The two scenarios have different implications for the optical properties of the resulting galaxy. Namely, merging of gas-rich galaxies should induce central star formation and cause morphological disturbances to be observable in the galaxy. We will present HI data, optical imaging and optical spectroscopy of a sample of gas-rich early-type galaxies obtained in order to study their gas content, stellar morphology and stellar populations. These observations are part of our effort aimed at understanding the formation history of this class of galaxies.