The Galactic thick and thin disks: differences in evolution

Free access article

Issue		A&A Volume 456, Number 3, September IV 2006


Page(s)		969 - 976
Section		Galactic structure, stellar clusters, and populations
DOI		http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20053101

A&A 456, 969-976 (2006)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20053101

The Galactic thick and thin disks: differences in evolution

T. V. Nykytyuk¹ and T. V. Mishenina²

¹ Main Astronomical Observatory, Ak. Zabolotnoho St. 27, Kyiv 03680, Ukraine
e-mail: nikita@mao.kiev.ua
² Astronomical Observatory Odessa National University, Odessa, Ukraine

(Received 21 March 2005 / Accepted 13 March 2006 )

Abstract
Context.Recent observations demonstrate that the thin and thick disks of the Galaxy have different chemical abundance trends and evolution timescales.
Aims.The relative abundances of $\alpha$ -elements in the thick Galactic disk are increased relative to the thin disk. Our goal is to investigate the cause of such differences in thick and thin disk abundances.
Methods.We investigate the chemical evolution of the Galactic disk in the framework of the open two-zone model with gas inflow.
Results.The Galactic abundance trends for $\alpha$ -elements (Mg, Si, O) and Fe are predicted for the thin and thick Galactic disks.
Conclusions.The star formation histories of the thin and thick disks must have been different and the gas infall must have been more intense during the thick disk evolution that the thin disk evolution.

Key words: Galaxy: evolution -- Galaxy: abundances -- Galaxy: disk

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