Models of star formation in interacting and merging disk galaxies.

We present a series of models of interactions between star-forming disk galaxies. The models employ an N-body code to calculate the gravitational dynamics, a discrete cloud model to govern the ISM dynamics, and a modified Schmidt law to describe star formation. We model both merging galaxies and more distant flyby encounters, with differing disk orientations. We find that the global star formation rates (SFRs) in merging galaxies can be increased by an order of magnitude for several hundred million years, with the vast majority of the star formation arising in the central regions of the merging galaxies