Evolution of fundamental parameters in emission line galaxies up to z ∼ 0.4

In this work we focus on the evolution of the SFR, metallicity of the gas, and morphology of galaxies at low redshift in search of signs of evolution. We analyzed the evolution of the SFR, metallicity, and morphology, through the mass-metallicity, luminosity-metallicity, SFR-stellar mass, and SFR-metallicity relationships of star-forming galaxies from SDSS-DR5 (Sloan Digital Sky Survey-Data Release 5), using redshift intervals in bins of 0.1 from ∼ 0 to 0.4 We used data processed with the STARLIGHT spectral synthesis code, correcting the fluxes for dust extinction, and estimating metallicities using the R₂₃ method. We estimated the SFR for our samples of galaxies, and studied the luminosity and mass-metallicity relations. The comparison of our local (0.04 < z < 0.1) with our higher redshift sample (0.3 < z < 0.4) shows that the metallicity, the SFR, and morphology evolve toward lower values of metallicity, higher SFRs, and late-type morphologies for the redshift range 0.3 < z < 0.4. Finally, we find a fundamental plane for field galaxies relating the SFR, gas metallicity, and stellar mass for SF galaxies in the local universe. One of the applications of this plane would be to estimate stellar masses from SFR and metallicity. High redshift data from the literature at redshift ∼ 0.85, 2.2, and 3.5, do not show evidence of evolution in this fundamental plane.