Abstract
A chemical evolution model of the Galaxy has been computed to reproduce the O/H gradients from Galactic HII regions. This model solves the C enrichment problem because it fits the C/H and C/O gradients and the C and O histories of the solar vicinity. The model is based on C yields dependent on metallicity (Z) owing to stellar winds. The C yields of massive stars (MS) increase with Z and those of low and intermediate mass stars (LIMS) decrease with Z. An important result is that the fraction of carbon in the interstellar medium (ISM) due to MS and LIMS is strongly dependent on Z of the ISM, therefore, that fraction depends on time and on the Galactocentric distance. At present and in the solar vicinity about half of the C in the interstellar medium has been produced by MS and half by LIMS.
