We present Galactic mean metallicity maps derived from the first year of the
SDSS-III APOGEE experiment. Mean abundances in different zones of
Galactocentric radius (0 < R < 15 kpc) at a range of heights above the plane (0
< |z| < 3 kpc), are derived from a sample of nearly 20,000 stars with
unprecedented coverage, including stars in the Galactic mid-plane at large
distances. We also split the sample into subsamples of stars with low and
high-[{\alpha}/M] abundance ratios. We assess possible biases in deriving the
mean abundances, and find they are likely to be small except in the inner
regions of the Galaxy. A negative radial gradient exists over much of the
Galaxy; however, the gradient appears to flatten for R < 6 kpc, in particular
near the Galactic mid-plane and for low-[{\alpha}/M] stars. At R > 6 kpc, the
gradient flattens as one moves off of the plane, and is flatter at all heights
for high-[{\alpha}/M] stars than for low-[{\alpha}/M] stars. Alternatively,
these gradients can be described as vertical gradients that flatten at larger
Galactocentric radius; these vertical gradients are similar for both low and
high-[{\alpha}/M] populations. Stars with higher [{\alpha}/M] appear to have a
flatter radial gradient than stars with lower [{\alpha}/M]. This could suggest
that the metallicity gradient has grown steeper with time or, alternatively,
that gradients are washed out over time by migration of stars.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figures, submitted to A
