| 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. |
