The Role of the Integrated Galactic Initial Mass Function in the Chemical Evolution of the Solar Neighborhood

Details The Role of the Integrated Galactic Initial Mass Function in the Chemical Evolution of the Solar Neighborhood The Role of the Integrated Galactic Initial Mass Function in the Chemical Evolution of the Solar Neighborhood

Jun 2011

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011aspc..440..279c&link_type=abstract

UP2010: Have Observations Revealed a Variable Upper End of the Initial Mass Function? ASP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 440. Pro

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

The integrated galactic initial mass function (IGIMF) is computed from the combination of the stellar initial mass function (IMF) and the embedded cluster mass function, described by a power law with index β. The result of the combination is a time-varying IMF which depends on the star formation rate. We applied the IGIMF formalism to a chemical evolution model for the Solar neighborhood and compared the results obtained by assuming three possible values for β with the ones obtained by means of a standard, well-tested, constant IMF. In general, a lower absolute value of β implies a flatter IGIMF, hence a larger number of massive stars, higher Type Ia and II supernova rates, higher mass ejection rates and higher [α/Fe] values at a given metallicity. Our suggested fiducial value for β is 2, since with this value we can account for most of the local observables. We discuss our results in a broader perspective, with some implications regarding the possible universality of the IMF and the importance of the star formation threshold.

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