Chemical evolution of the galaxy during its contraction |
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| Authors: | M Kaufman |
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| Institution: | 1. Département de Mathématique, Universite de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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| Abstract: | Models for the chemical evolution of the galaxy are constructed in which the time evolution is imposed by the contraction rate of the galaxy and present observations of stellar metal abundances as a function of height above the galactic plane. Stars with massm?3.5m ⊙ do not contribute to the metal enrichment of the interstellar gas, and we argue that the interstellar metal abundance at this epoch should be fairly insensitive to the size of the mass fraction of the galaxy that condenses into such stars. The birth rate for stars more massive than 3.5m ⊙ is assumed proportional toV gal ?n , whereV gal is the contracting volume of the main body of the galaxy. If a dynamic time-scale is adopted for the contraction of the galaxy, then the assumed power-law birth rate yields suitable chemical evolution models only if observed Population II metals are synthesized in stars more massive than about 8.5m ⊙. This mass range is consistent with the predictions of current stellar-evolution theory. Provided the birth function does include stars more massive than 8.5m ⊙, the relation between the value of the parametern in the birth rate and the observed chemical evolution rate is not particularly sensitive to the specific form adopted for the initial mass spectrum, or to the proportionality constant in the birth rate. We find (i)n?1.4, in general, and (ii)n is close to 1.4 if the contraction of the galaxy to a heighth=400 pc above the plane occurs at close to the free-fall rate. These results are independent of the form of the initial mass spectrum, providedS 3 is small. HereS is the total mass fraction of the galaxy that cycles through stars during its contraction. Numerical models, with an explicit initial mass spectrum, indicate that the same restrictions on the values ofn apply approximately whenS 3 is not small. To introduce low mass stars, we allow the birth rate for stars more massive than 3.5m ⊙ to level off at a time intervalt L just before the contraction of the galaxy stops, while the total birth rate remains a simple power law. We find that reasonable models are obtained witht L ?1.5×107 yr if the galaxy contracts at a dynamic rate. However, aside from these restrictions on the values ofn andt L , there is no uniquely favored model. For any suitable model, the supernova rate must be small enough so that shock waves from neighboring supernovae do not collide during the adiabatic expansion stage. Otherwise, the interstellar gas would not have time to cool, and its high temperature would tend to impede both star formation and the rapid contraction of the galaxy. The supernova rates in the numerical models given here are small enough to avoid this problem, but large enough to achieve a uniform metal abundance on a time scale short compared to the chemical-evolution time scale. At the epoch considered here, the interstellar metal abundance is approximately less than 0.4Z ⊙, and the models are assumed to apply before galactic-scale inhomogeneities, such as the galactic nucleus, become important. Therefore, the chemical mixing time scales imply that most Population II stars of the same age should have approximately the same initial metal abundance, unless the clustering of supernova explosions associated with massive Population II stars is significant. It is shown that collisions between shock waves from neighboring supernovae can produce local regions of significantly enhanced density. The peak bolometric luminosity of the galaxy during its contraction is similar to that predicted by Partridge and Peebles (1967a), but it occurs during the final stages of contraction to the disc. Numerical models give values between 13 and 34 yr?1 for the average number of supernova explosions per year during this bright phase. The X-ray luminosity of the galaxy from these supernovae may be comparable to that of Seyfert galaxies. |
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