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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 April 2016
Near-infrared images of a sample of red, blue and giant low surface brightness disk galaxies (LSBGs) were combined with optical data with the aim of constraining their star formation histories. Most LSBGs have strong colour gradients consistent with mean stellar age gradients. We find that LSBGs have a large range of ages and metallicities, spanning those observed in normal disk galaxies. In particular, red and blue LSBGs have very different star formation histories and represent two independent routes to low B band surface brightness. Blue LSBGs are well described by models with low, roughly constant star formation rates, whereas red LSBGs are better described by a ‘faded disk’ scenario.