Metals in Star-Forming Galaxies at High Redshift
Abstract
The chemical composition of high-redshift galaxies is an important property that gives clues to their past history and future evolution. Measuring abundances in distant galaxies with current techniques is often a challenge, and the canonical metallicity indicators can often not be applied. I discuss currently available metallicity indicators based on stellar and interstellar absorption and emission lines, and assess their limitations and systematic uncertainties. Recent studies suggest that star-forming galaxies at redshift around 3 have heavy-element abundances already close to solar, in agreement with predictions from cosmological models.
- Publication:
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From Lithium to Uranium: Elemental Tracers of Early Cosmic Evolution
- Pub Date:
- 2005
- DOI:
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/0506285
- Bibcode:
- 2005IAUS..228..551L
- Keywords:
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- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 6 pages, 3 figures. Invited talk given at IAU Symp. 228, From Lithium to Uranium, Paris (France), 23 - 27 May, 2005. To be published in: IAU Symp. 228, From Lithium to Uranium, ed. V. Hill, P. Francois, &