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SEQUENCE:1
UID:UW-Physics-Event-9121
DTSTART:20250306T213000Z
DTEND:20250306T223000Z
DTSTAMP:20260407T175639Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250318T120021Z
LOCATION:4421 Sterling Hall
SUMMARY:The Milky Way as a Prototypical Disk Galaxy: Galactic Archeolo
 gy and Chemical Evolution in Context\, Astronomy Colloquium\, Boquan E
 rwin Chen\, Ohio State University
DESCRIPTION:The chemical evolution of the Milky Way has long been rega
 rded as uniquely complex\, epitomized by its distinct dual [α/Fe] seq
 uences. This perceived intricacy has driven interpretations reliant on
  multi-phase formation models\, such as the two-infall framework. Yet\
 , breakthroughs in Galactic archeology—powered by Gaia astrometry an
 d large-scale spectroscopic surveys—are challenging this narrative\,
  revealing that the Milky Way’s chemical evolution may align closely
  with processes observed in typical disk galaxies. In this talk\, I wi
 ll present a unified\, physically motivated model of chemical evolutio
 n that reframes the Milky Way not as an outlier but as a galactic arch
 etype. We demonstrate that key observables—including the radial meta
 llicity gradient\, stellar metallicity distribution\, and age-abundanc
 e trends—can be simultaneously reproduced under a coherent framework
  consistent with generic disk galaxy formation. By reconciling these f
 eatures without invoking exceptional mechanisms\, our results suggest 
 that the Milky Way’s apparent complexity stems from its detailed obs
 ervational record rather than atypical evolutionary pathways. Furtherm
 ore\, the archetypal nature of the Milky Way may extend to its very or
 igins\, implying that its early assembly followed pathways common to d
 isk galaxies. Nevertheless\, stellar-level observations of the M31 And
 romeda galaxy and Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) highlight the diversity
  of galactic chemical evolution. This renewed perspective positions ou
 r Galaxy as a critical benchmark for deciphering the universal process
 es shaping disk galaxies across cosmic time\, offering insights that b
 ridge local precision to extragalactic contexts.
URL:https://www.physics.wisc.edu/events/?id=9121
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