The metallicity distribution function is an important concept in

stellar Stellar means anything related to one or more stars (''stella''). The term may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Stellar'' (magazine), an Irish lifestyle and fashion magazine * Stellar Loussier, a character from ''Mobile Suit Gun ...

and galactic evolution. It is a curve of what proportion of stars have a particular

metallicity In astronomy, metallicity is the abundance of elements present in an object that are heavier than hydrogen and helium. Most of the normal physical matter in the Universe is either hydrogen or helium, and astronomers use the word ''"metals"'' as a ...

( e/H the relative abundance of iron and hydrogen) of a population of stars such as in a cluster or galaxy. MDFs are used to test different theories of galactic evolution. Much of the iron in a star will have come from earlier type Ia

supernova A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star. It has the plural form supernovae or supernovas, and is abbreviated SN or SNe. This transient astronomical event occurs during the last evolutionary stages of a massive star or when ...

e. Other lphametals can be produced in core collapse supernovae.

References

Further reading