Abundance structure and chemical evolution of the Galactic disc

Abstract

We have obtained high-resolution, high signal-to-noise spectra for 899 F and G dwarf stars in the Solar neighbourhood. The stars were selected on the basis of their kinematic properties to trace the thin and thick discs, the Hercules stream, and the metal-rich stellar halo. A significant number of stars with kinematic properties 'in between' the thin and thick discs were also observed in order to in greater detail investigate the dichotomy of the Galactic disc. All stars have been homogeneously analysed, using the exact same methods, atomic data, model atmospheres, etc., and also truly differentially to the Sun. Hence, the sample is likely to be free from internal errors, allowing us to, in a multi-dimensional space consisting of detailed elemental abundances, stellar ages, and the full three-dimensional space velocities, reveal very small differences between the stellar populations.Comment: Invited talk at the The Galactic Plane, in depth and across the spectrum, Special Session 8 at the IAU General Assembly 2009, Highlights of Astronomy Volume 15, Janet Drew, Melvin Hoare (Editor in Chief) and Nicholas Walton, eds, Cambridge University Press, in pres