Annu. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 1981. 19: 77-113 Copyright © 1981 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved

Reprinted with kind permission from Annual Reviews, 4139 El Camino Way, Palo Alto, California, USA

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Table of Contents

• INTRODUCTION
• THE SOLAR NEIGHBORHOOD
• Standard Abundance Distribution
• Age-Metallicity Relation
• Metallicity Distribution
• Primordial Variations in Relative Abundances
• LARGE-SCALE TRENDS WITHIN THE GALAXY
• Abundance Gradients in Stars and the Interstella Medium
• The Diffuse Interstellar Medium and the Galactic Center
• The Galactic Halo
• OTHER GALAXIES: ABUNDANCE INDICATORS
• Individual Stars
• Emission Nebulae
• Integrated Light from Stellar Populations
• OTHER GALAXIES: RESULTS
• Irregular and Blue Compact Galaxies
• Elliptical and SO Galaxies
• Dwarf Spheroidal Systems
• Spiral Galaxies
• Quasars and Active Galaxies
• CONCLUSION
• REFERENCES