| Description |
We propose to use Herschel/PACS+SPIRE to study dusty extreme star formation
(SF) in a unique carefully-selected sample of 23 nearby low-metallicity dusty
blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxies in the local universe. Like extreme
starbursts, and unlike most BCDs and other dwarf galaxies, their SF occurs in
compact, dense regions with high star-formation rate (SFR) surface density.
They are the best local analogs to study how stars form at high redshift, and
complement the vast majority of more quiescent BCDs already observed by
Herschel. Our BCD sample is unique among dwarf samples in that it has been
constructed by choosing objects from the Sloan Survey with large MIR IRAS
fluxes, similar to the 2 active BCDs that have been recently discovered by
WISE through their very red WISE colors. It also has all the ancillary
optical, near-infrared, and Spitzer data, necessary for a detailed
interpretation of the Herschel data. With PACS+SPIRE photometry, we will fit
the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) constrain the mass of the cool dust
component -- hence better estimate the total dust mass -- and compare it with
the stellar and gas masses. We will also look for trends in SED shape with
compactness and SFR. By combining the data on active BCDs with that on
passive BCDs in the Spitzer and Herschel archives, we will be able to compare
SEDs and modes of SF over a wide range of SFRs, metallicities, and dust
properties. Ultimately, these extreme BCD starbursts may provide local
templates to compare with the dusty galaxies in the high-z universe. |
