Evolution of deuterium, He and He in the Galaxy

Free access article

Issue		A&A Volume 395, Number 3, December I 2002


Page(s)		789 - 801
Section		Galactic structure and dynamics
DOI		http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20021314

A&A 395, 789-801 (2002)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20021314

Evolution of deuterium, $^{\rm 3}$ He and $^{\rm 4}$ He in the Galaxy

C. Chiappini¹, A. Renda² and F. Matteucci^{1, 2}

¹ Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste, Via G. B. Tiepolo 11, 34131 Trieste, Italia
² Dipartimento di Astronomia, Universita' degli Studi di Trieste, Via G. B. Tiepolo 11, 34131 Trieste, Italia

(Received 8 July 2002 / Accepted 5 September 2002)

Abstract
In this work we present the predictions of the "two-infall model" concerning the evolution of D, ³He and ⁴He in the solar vicinity, as well as their distribution along the Galactic disk. Our results show that, when adopting detailed yields taking into account the extra-mixing process in low and intermediate mass stars, the problem of the overproduction of ³He by the chemical evolution models is solved. The predicted distribution of ³He along the disk is also in agreement with the observations. We also predict the distributions of D/H, D/O and D/N along the disk, in particular D abundances close to the primordial value are predicted in the outer regions of the Galaxy. The predicted D/H, D/O and D/N abundances in the local interstellar medium are in agreement with the mean values observed by the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer mission, although a large spread in the D abundance is present in the data. Finally, by means of our chemical evolution model, we can constrain the primordial value of the deuterium abundance, and we find a value of (D/H) $_{\rm p} \lesssim 4 \times10^{-5}$ which implies $\Omega_{\rm b}h^2 \gtrsim$ 0.017, in agreement with the values from the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation analysis. This value in turn implies a primordial ⁴He abundance $Y_{\rm p} \gtrsim$ 0.244.

Key words: Galaxy: abundances -- Galaxy: evolution -- Galaxy: formation

Offprint request: C. Chiappini, chiappini@ts.astro.it

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