Evidence for chemical evolution in spectra of high redshift galaxies

Using a sample of 57 VLT FORS spectra in the redshift range 1.37< z < 3.40 and a comparison sample with 36 IUE spectra of local ( ) starburst galaxies we derive CIV equivalent width values and estimate metallicities of starburst galaxies as a function of redshift. Assuming that a calibration of the CIV equivalent widths in terms of the metallicity based on the local sample of starburst galaxies is applicable to high-z objects, we find a significant increase of the average metallicities from about 0.16 Z _⊙ at the cosmic epoch corresponding to z ≈ 3.2 to about 0.42 Z _⊙ at z ≈ 2.3. A significant further increase in metallicity during later epochs cannot be detected in our data. Compared to the local starburst galaxies our high-redshift objects tend to be overluminous for a given metallicity. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.