AN ESTIMATE OF THE GAS INFLOW RATE ALONG THE BAR IN NGC-7479

We present images of the barred galaxy NGC 7479 in the optical and nea r-infrared broad bands B, V, R, J, H, K, and images in H alpha + [N II ] and CO (J = 1 --> 0) emission. The H alpha and CO emission in the ba r are coincident and confined to narrow linear features that are offse t from the center of the bar as observed in the near-infrared. We esti mate the gravitational potential from the K image, which provides an e stimate of the torque on the gas at the position of the CO emission in the bar. We find that the implied gas inflow velocity derived from th e torque is 10-20 km s(-1). Our inflow velocity is independent of the large streaming motions which can be observed in CO and H I.