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By means of chemical evolution models of different morphological types, we study the mass-metallicity (MZ) relation and its evolution with redshift. Our aim is to understand the role of galaxies of different morphological types in the MZ relation at various redshift. One major result is that at high redshift, the majority of the galaxies falling on the MZ plot are apparently proto-ellipticals. Finally, we show some preliminary results of a study of the MZ relation in a framework of hierarchical galaxy formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main effect of axial rotation on the evolution of massive PopIII stars is to trigger internal mixing processes which allow stars to produce significant amounts of primary nitrogen 14 and carbon 13. Very metal poor massive stars produce much more primary nitrogen than PopIII stars for a given initial mass and rotation velocity. The very metal poor stars undergo strong mass loss induced by rotation. One can distinguish two types of rotationnaly enhanced stellar winds: 1) Rotationally mechanical winds occurs when the surface velocity reaches the critical velocity at the equator, i.e. the velocity at which the centrifugal acceleration is equal to the gravity; 2) Rotationally radiatively line driven winds are a consequence of strong internal mixing which brings large amounts of CNO elements at the surface. This enhances the opacity and may trigger strong line driven winds. These effects are important for an initial value of υ/υcrit of 0.54 for a 60 M⊙ at Z = 10-8, i.e. for initial values of υ/υcrit higher than the one (∼0.4) corresponding to observations at solar Z. These two effects, strong internal mixing leading to the synthesis of large amounts of primary nitrogen and important mass losses induced by rotation, occur for Z between about 10-8 and 0.001. For metallicities above 0.001 and for reasonable choice of the rotation velocities, internal mixing is no longer efficient enough to trigger these effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we review the current ideas about the formation of our Galaxy. In particular, the main ingredients necessary to build chemical evolution models (star formation, initial mass function and stellar yields) are described and discussed. A critical discussion about the main observational constraints available is also presented. Finally, our model predictions concerning the evolution of the abundances of several chemical elements (H, D, He, C, N, O, Ne, Mg, Si, Ca and Fe) are compared with observations relative to the solar neighborhood and the whole disk. We show that from this comparison we can constrain the history of the formation and evolution of the Milky Way as well as the nucleosynthesis theories concerning the Big Bang and the stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the evolution of the universe from Big Bang to its present state requires an understanding of the evolution of the abundances of the elements and isotopes in galaxies, stars, the interstellar medium, the Sun and the heliosphere, planets and meteorites. Processes that change the state of the universe include Big Bang nucleosynthesis, star formation and stellar nucleosynthesis, galactic chemical evolution, propagation of cosmic rays, spallation, ionization and particle transport of interstellar material, formation of the solar system, solar wind emission and its fractionation (FIP/FIT effect), mixing processes in stellar interiors, condensation of material and subsequent geochemical fractionation. Here, we attempt to compile some major issues in cosmochemistry that can be addressed with a better knowledge of the respective element or isotope abundances. Present and future missions such as Genesis, Stardust, Interstellar Pathfinder, and Interstellar Probe, improvements of remote sensing instrumentation and experiments on extraterrestrial material such as meteorites, presolar grains, and lunar or returned planetary or cometary samples will result in an improved database of elemental and isotopic abundances. This includes the primordial abundances of D, ³He, [sup 4]He, and [sup 7]Li, abundances of the heavier elements in stars and galaxies, the composition of the interstellar medium, solar wind and comets as well as the (highly) volatile elements in the solar system such as helium, nitrogen, oxygen or xenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]