The MOSDEF Survey: The Evolution of the Mass-Metallicity Relation from $z=0$ to $z\sim3.3$

Understand

We investigate the evolution of galaxy gas-phase metallicity (O/H) over the range $z=0-3.3$ using samples of $\sim300$ galaxies at $z\sim2.3$ and $\sim150$ galaxies at $z\sim3.3$ from the MOSDEF survey.

• This analysis crucially utilizes different metallicity calibrations at $z\sim0$ and $z>1$ to account for evolving ISM conditions.
• We find significant correlations between O/H and stellar mass ($M_*$) at $z\sim2.3$ and $z\sim3.3$.
• The low-mass power law slope of the mass-metallicity relation is remarkably invariant over $z=0-3.3$, such that $\textrm{O/H}\propto M_*^{0.30}$ at all redshifts in this range.