The age-metallicity relation in the solar neighbourhood from a pilot
  sample of white dwarf-main sequence binaries
  The age-metallicity relation (AMR) is a fundamental observational constraint
for understanding how the Galactic disc formed and evolved chemically in time.
However, there is not yet an agreement on the observational properties of the
AMR for the solar neighbourhood, primarily due to the difficulty in obtaining
accurate stellar ages for individual field stars. We have started an
observational campaign for providing the much needed observational input by
using wide white dwarf-main sequence (WDMS) binaries. White dwarfs are natural
clocks and can be used to derive accurate ages. Metallicities can be obtained
from the main sequence companions. Since the progenitors of white dwarfs and
the main sequence stars were born at the same time, WDMS binaries provide a
unique opportunity to observationally constrain in a robust way the properties
of the AMR. In this work we present the AMR derived from analysing a pilot
sample of 23 WDMS binaries and provide clear observational evidence for the
lack of correlation between age and metallicity at young and intermediate ages
(0-7 Gyrs).
