Chemical Properties of Starburst Galaxies Near and Far: Clues to Galaxy Evolution

Abstract

The determination of chemical abundances in star-forming galaxies and the study of their evolution on cosmological timescales are powerful tools for understanding galaxy formation and evolution. This contribution presents the latest results in this domain. We show that detailed studies of chemical abundances in UV-selected, HII and starburst nucleus galaxies, together with the development of new chemical evolution models, put strong constraints on the evolutionary stage of these objects in terms of star formation history. Finally, we summarize our current knowledge on the chemical properties of intermediate- and high-redshift galaxies. Although the samples are still too small for statistical studies, these results give insight into the nature and evolution of distant star-forming objects and their link with present-day galaxies.