 Stebbins–Whitford effect

The Stebbins–Whitford effect refers to a phenomenon observed in the field of astronomy, specifically in the context of star formation and the evolutionary pathways of galaxies. It describes the relationship between the metallicity (the abundance of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium) of stars and their distance from the galactic center. In general, stars in the central regions of a galaxy tend to have higher metallicities compared to those located further out.