An elementary model for the dust cycle in galaxies

Abstract

We give an elementary model for the evolution of dust in galaxies, based on abundance arguments. The model takes account of grain core production in both supernovae and giant stars, and includes mantle growth in the interstellar medium. Destruction of grain cores does not appear to be a dominant effect. We show that a self-consistent picture can be made in which the interstellar dust mass is an approximately constant fraction of the heavy element mass in the interstellar medium. This result is demonstrated to be essentially independent of outflow or inflow of interstellar material.