Galactic Chemical Evolution and Stellar Nucleosynthesis
Summary
Galactic chemical evolution (GCE) describes the changing composition of galaxies over cosmic time as successive generations of stars forge new elements and redistribute them into the interstellar medium. Stellar nucleosynthesis encompasses the nuclear fusion processes within stars and explosive environments that synthesise light elements during hydrostatic burning, heavy elements in advanced burning stages and rapid processes in supernovae and neutron-star mergers. The interplay between star formation, gas inflow, outflow and mixing establishes the metal content—elements heavier than helium—in galaxies, shaping stellar populations and planet formation. Observational surveys of stellar abundances, coupled with theoretical models of yields, delay-time distributions and gas dynamics, allow reconstruction of star formation histories and the assembly of galactic components such as bulges, disks and haloes. Understanding the distribution of elements from carbon and oxygen to r-process nuclei underpins fields from exoplanet habitability to cosmochemical dating, offering insights into the lifecycle of matter in the Universe.
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Galactic Chemical Evolution and Stellar Nucleosynthesis publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in galactic chemical evolution and stellar nucleosynthesis across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Galactic chemical evolution: The process by which the abundances of chemical elements in a galaxy change over time due to star formation, nucleosynthesis and gas flows.
Stellar nucleosynthesis: The set of nuclear reactions in stars and explosive events that create new atomic nuclei from pre-existing protons and neutrons.
Type Ia supernova: A thermonuclear explosion of a white dwarf in a binary system, responsible for synthesising iron-peak elements and serving as standardisable candles in cosmology.
Core-collapse supernova: The gravitational collapse and explosion of a massive star’s core, producing a wide range of heavy elements through rapid neutron capture and explosive burning.
Metallicity: The proportion of a star or gas’s mass composed of elements heavier than helium, typically expressed relative to solar abundances.
References
- GalCEM. I. An Open-source Detailed Isotopic Chemical Evolution Code. The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series (2023).
- Galactic archaeology with [Mg/Mn] versus [Al/Fe] abundance ratios. Astronomy & Astrophysics (2024).
- Nucleosynthesis of Binary-stripped Stars. The Astrophysical Journal (2023).
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