Applying mass model to disk galaxy NGC 300, since the observed rotation curve of NGC 300 is flatter than Toomre's mass model n = 1, two cases are used; obtaining parameters a n and b n from the polynomial fitting of the observed rotation curve (case A) and from the least square fitting between the observed rotation curve and model rotation curve (case B). In any case, n bas a fixed value of 1. Brandt's mass model is also discussed. which has a shape parameter n = 1.4. Calculated total mass and total mass to luminosity ratio are 3.3 × 10 10 M ⊙ , l2.1 for case A and 2.8 × 10 10 M ⊙ , 10.3 for case B. In case of Brandt's model, the values are 4.2 × 10 10 M ⊙ and 15.4. The rise in the local mass to luminosity ratio in the outer part of NGC 300 implies existence of massive halo. Other dynamical properties are also discussed.

The evolution of the Galaxy is examined by the halo-disk model, using the time-dependent bimodal IMF and contraints such as cumulative metallicity distribution, differential metallicity distribution and PDMF of main sequence stars. The time scale of the Galactic halo formation is about 3Gyr during which the most of halo stars and metal abundance are formed and ∼ 95 of the initial halo mass falls to the disk. The G-dwarf problem could be explained by the time-dependent bimodal IMF which is suppressed for low mass stars at the early phase (t < 1Gyr) of the disk evolution. However, the importance of this problem is much weakened by the Pagel's differential metallicity distribution which leads to less initial metal enrichment and many long-lived metal-poor stars with Z < 1 / 3 Z ⊙ The observational distribution of abundance ratios of C, N, O elements with respect to [Fe/H] could be reproduced by the halo-disk model, including the contribution of iron product by SNIs of intermediate mass stars. The initial enrichment of elements in the disk could be explained by the halo-disk model, resulting in the slight decrease and then the increase in the slopes of the [N/Fe]- and [C/Fe]-distributions with increasing [Fe/H] in the range of [Fe/H] < -1.

Luminosity profile of the late type spiral galaxy NGC 2403 was obtained using the PDS scan of the plate. Some physical parameters (scale length, total magnitude, central brightness, disk to bulge ratio and concentric indices) were calculated from the brightness distribution. Total mass and the mass to luminosity ratio were estimated from the fitting of various mass models.

A model for the galactic distribution of stars is developed by fitting IRAS 12㎛ source counts to the two-component density distribution of an exponential disk and an R~ spheroid. The model can reproduce the IRAS source counts fairly well when we assume the late type M giants mainly contribute to the 12 ㎛ luminosity function. By fitting the source counts we find he scale length and the scale height of the exponential disk are 2.2kpc and 300pc respectively. The axial ratio of the de Vaucouleurs spheroid is suggested to be 0.85, and the local spheroid to disk population ratio is found to be 1/300.

Two theories, the adiabatic and the isothermal, of galaxy formation are surveyed with regard to the current observational constraints, Some advantage of non-baryonic theory compared with the usual baryonic theory is discussed.

Four HII regions of the Sd galaxy NGC 7793 were observed using AAT/IPCS. From these spectra we determined abundances of the elements using observed emission lines and electron temperatures. The calculated abundances show that this galaxy does not show any significant radial abundance gradient. The mean oxygen abundance is very much like the Orion nebulae and the nitrogen abundance is similar to the late type barred spiral galaxy NGC 1313.

On the basis of observational constraints, particularly the relationship between metal abundance and cumulative stellar mass, a simple two-zone disk-halo model for the chemical evolution of our Galaxy was investigated, assuming different chemical processes in the disk and halo and the infall rates of the halo gas defined by the halo evolution. The main results of the present model calculations are: (i) The halo formation requires more than 80% of the initial galactic mass and it takes a period of 2 ∼ 3 × 10 9 yrs. (ii) The halo evolution is divided into two phases, a fast collapse phase ( t = 2 ∼ 3 × 10 8 yrs) during which period most of the halo stars ( ∼ 95 are formed and a later slow collapse phase which is characterized by the chemical enrichment due to the inflow of external matter to the halo. (iii) The disk evolution is also divided into two phases, an active disk formation phase with a time-dependent initial mass function (IMF) up to t ≈ 6 × 10 9 yrs and a later steady slow formation phase with a constant IMF. It is found that at the very early time t ≈ 5 × 10 8 yrs, the metal abundance in the disk is rapidly increased to ∼ 1 / 3 of the present value but the total stellar mass only to ∼ 10 of the present value, finally reaching about 80% of the present values toward the end of the active formation phase.

Various assumptions used in interpreting the observations of hydrogen recombination lines are critically assessed to confirm the gradient of electron temperature with distance from the galactic center. The total temperature increase from 5 to 13 kpc is about 2,500 K. Among many suggestions, we have singled out the decrease of trace dement abundances with the galactoccntric distance as the most viable cause for the temperature gradient. This will impose an important constraint on evolutionary models of the Galaxy.