Polychronis Papaderos
CAUP

Abstract
The evolution of blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxies over cosmic time is a central topic in dwarf galaxy research and observational cosmology. I will review current ideas about the role of starbursts on the evolution of BCDs and discuss the main questions we seek to answer by exploring the properties of these systems.
In particular, I will discuss the morphology, structural properties and evolutionary status of the low-surface brightness (LSB) host galaxy of BCDs and the influence of its gravitational potential on the star formation process. I will also review the structural properties of extremely metal-poor (12+log(O/H)<7.6) BCDs, presenting extended ionized gas emission and uniformly blue colors in their LSB components, and highlight the importance of these rare nearby galaxies as laboratories for studying collective star formation and galaxy evolution under chemical conditions approaching those in distant protogalactic systems.

2009 October 14, 13:30

IA/U.Porto
Centro de Astrofísica da Universidade do Porto (Auditorium)
Rua das Estrelas, 4150-762 Porto