Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Part I Abundances in the Galaxy: field stars
- Part II Abundances in the Galaxy: Galactic stars in clusters, bulges and the centre
- Part III Observations – abundances in extragalactic contexts
- Part IV Stellar populations and mass functions
- Part V Physical processes at high metallicity
- Part VI Formation and evolution of metal-rich stars and stellar yields
- Part VII Chemical and photometric evolution beyond Solar metallicity
- 43 Models of the Solar vicinity: the metal-rich stage
- 44 Chemical-evolution models of ellipticals and bulges
- 45 Chemical evolution of the Galactic bulge
- 46 How do galaxies become metal-rich? An examination of the yield problem
- 47 Abundance patterns: thick and thin disks
- 48 Formation and evolution of the Galactic bulge: constraints from stellar abundances
46 - How do galaxies become metal-rich? An examination of the yield problem
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 December 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Part I Abundances in the Galaxy: field stars
- Part II Abundances in the Galaxy: Galactic stars in clusters, bulges and the centre
- Part III Observations – abundances in extragalactic contexts
- Part IV Stellar populations and mass functions
- Part V Physical processes at high metallicity
- Part VI Formation and evolution of metal-rich stars and stellar yields
- Part VII Chemical and photometric evolution beyond Solar metallicity
- 43 Models of the Solar vicinity: the metal-rich stage
- 44 Chemical-evolution models of ellipticals and bulges
- 45 Chemical evolution of the Galactic bulge
- 46 How do galaxies become metal-rich? An examination of the yield problem
- 47 Abundance patterns: thick and thin disks
- 48 Formation and evolution of the Galactic bulge: constraints from stellar abundances
Summary
Reports of high metallicities in galactic systems have always been controversial. I disuss whether observational claims both for nebulae and for stars are well-founded, and try to form a rational view of just how metal-rich some regions of galaxies do become. Metallicity is linked to the evolution of star formation in a galaxy through the yield, the mass of metals produced each time star formation locks up unit mass of interstellar material. The mechanisms by which real or apparent high yields might be achieved are examined – global and local gas flows, poor mixing, star formation and metallicity effects in stellar evolution. As perhaps expected, it turns out to be not so easy to ‘get rich’, quickly or otherwise – suggesting that sorting out the lingering uncertainties in the abundance analysis of H ii regions and stars remains a priority.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Metal-Rich Universe , pp. 447 - 453Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008