Stellar populations in the milky way: a synthetic model.

A detailed model of the stellar content of the Galaxy is proposed. It uses a scheme of galactic evolution for deriving the age distribution of stars in the solar neighborhood. Then it links metallicities and scale heights to ages through kinematics. Thus, observational predictions are directly derived from an overall description of galactic structure and evolution. Most free parameters are first constrained using solar neighborhood data. Only those parameters which cannot be satisfactorily bound by local data are fitted to star counts. The model can be used to derive reliable predictions in any other galactic direction but the center. In the course of model elaboration, a number of quantitative results are given or confirmed; the most outstanding ones concern the densities and space distributions of Halo and Intermediate Population II stars.