The ACS LCID Project: overview and first results

TL;DR

The paper introduces the LCID project which uses HST data to derive detailed star formation histories of isolated dwarf galaxies in the Local Group, providing insights into galaxy evolution and feedback processes.

Contribution

It presents the LCID project and initial results, utilizing deep HST observations to analyze the star formation histories of isolated dwarf galaxies.

Findings

Preliminary CMD analysis shows diverse star formation histories.

Data reach the oldest main sequence turnoff, enabling detailed SFH reconstruction.

Initial results highlight the role of isolated dwarfs in understanding galaxy evolution.

Abstract

The star formation history (SFH) of Local Group galaxies is a powerful tool for studying their evolution, including chemical enrichment histories and stellar population gradients, which in turn may shed light on the role of reionization or Supernovae feedback in galaxy formation and evolution. In particular, isolated dwarfs are ideal laboratories since their evolution has not been complicated by the vicinity of giant galaxies. In this paper, we present the project Local Cosmology from Isolated Dwarfs (LCID), aimed at deriving detailed SFHs for a sample of Local Group isolated dwarf galaxies. To accomplish this goal we have collected, using the ACS on board the HST, color-magnitude diagrams (CMD) reaching their oldest main sequence turnoff (V~28 or M_V~+3.5) with good photometric accuracy. Some preliminary results from the CMDs are shown and briefly discussed.