Chemical evolution of two-component galaxies

In this paper, we try to insert into a single evolutionary scheme — in dealing with chemical evolution of galaxies — two different viewpoints that (at least in not too much complicated models) have been treated separately: namely, theS models, allowing mass conservation; andI models, allowing initial zero masses and no mass conservation due to gas inflow. The true evolution of a real proto-galaxy (after reaching the state of maximum expansion) is simulated as follows: A spheroidal gas mass continued to collapse and form stars until a flat configuration is reached after a timeT _c has elapsed, while a given amount of gas flows in on a time-scale . According to this scheme, the basic equations of chemical evolution are derived and models which simulate the history of solar neighborhood, other regions and Galactic spheroid component are built up, in the whole range between theS-limit (mass conservation) and theI-limit (zero initial mass and subsequent accretion due to inflowing gas). Concerning the solar neighbourhood, we find that neither the occurrence of gas inflow nor inflow on time-scales 2–3 10⁹ yr are necessary in order to reproduce the temporal behaviour and the empirical distribution of metal content, as pointed out by some authors. On the contrary, the constraint on the lower mass limit for stars formed,m _mf0.01, allows only models with T _c (i.e. inflow time-scale of the order of the contraction time), while the constraint on the disk mass fraction,R _D(T _a)0.75, rules out the cases near theI-limit forT _c0.55 but permits all cases forT _c2.75. Concerning other regions, models are built up which roughly simulate elliptical, spiral and irregular galaxies, and all less extended regions resembling such systems.If the stellar birthrate function is assumed to be an universal law, the chemical evolution of the Galactic disk may be understood in terms of different zones (that might be thought as concentric and coaxial rings) the total density of which decreases monotonically, owing to a corresponding decrease in total mass and/or increase in volume, when passing from the center to the border of the disk. The constraintsm _mf0.01 andR _D(T _a)0.75 for different regions of the Galactic disk would also rule out all models well beyond theS-limit, but further results are required in order to confirm this conclusion. Finally, concerning the Galactic spheroid component, it is found that onlyS models with massive halos (R _D(T _a)0.01) are able to reproduce in an acceptable way the empirical metal abundance distribution. In order to obtain a complete fit, a spheroid component has to be assumed, with a steeper mass spectrum exponent in the stellar birthrate function, and a lower yield of metallicity, in respect to the disk component. According to this last model, a mean value of disk metal content (with respect to spatial distribution) of the order of the solar value also results.