Galactic Chemical Evolution: Hydrogen Through Zinc

Abstract

Using the output from a grid of 60 Type II supernova models (Woosley \& Weaver 1994) of varying mass (11 $\ltaprx$ M/M\sun $\ltaprx$ 40) and metallicity (0, 10$^{-4}$, 0.01, 0.1, and 1 Z\sol), the chemical evolution of 76 stable isotopes, from hydrogen to zinc, is calculated. The chemical evolution calculation employs a simple dynamical model for the Galaxy (infall with a 4 billion year $e$-folding time scale onto a exponential disk and 1/r$^2$ bulge), and standard evolution parameters, such as a Salpeter initial mass function and a quadratic Schmidt star formation rate. The theoretical results are compared in detail with observed stellar abundances in stars with metallicities in the range -3.0 $\ltaprx$ [Fe/H] $\ltaprx$ 0.0 dex. While our discussion focuses on the solar neighborhood where there are the most observations, the supernovae rates, an intrinsically Galactic quantity, are also discussed.