The Two Colour Diagram as a Key to Past Rates of Star Formation and Past Rates of Metal Enrichment of the Interstellar Medium, II

Abstract

The two-colour diagram for main sequence stars is used to investigate past rates of star formation and past rates of metal enrichment of the interstellar medium. Values are given for the proportion of stars formed during the initial stages in the history of the Galaxy, and also for the frequency distribution function for metal abundances in the interstellar medium at the present epoch.