HEAVY ELEMENT ABUNDANCES OF THE GALACTIC GLOBULAR CLUSTERS

Defining a metal parameter $(Sp)_c$, which is related to the morphological parameters of C-M diagrams, we have estimated metal abundances for 97 globular clusters in our Galaxy. A correlation between absolute magnitude of the horizontal branch and metal abundance is derived, which is used for the determining distances to globular clusters whose visual magnitudes of the horizontal branch are known. The space distribution of globular clusters and the chemical evolution of the halo are examined. Our analysis suggests an initial mean gradient of metallicity to be d[Fe/H]/$dr_G$ = -0.06 $kpc^{-1}$ for the halo in galactocentric distance, $r_G$<20 kpc. Our findings also imply a slow collapse of protogalaxy.