Formation of blue compact dwarf galaxies from merging and interacting gas-rich dwarfs

TL;DR

This study uses numerical simulations to demonstrate that merging gas-rich dwarf galaxies can form blue compact dwarf galaxies with central starbursts, young stellar cores, and extended HI gas disks, highlighting the role of merging in BCD formation.

Contribution

The paper provides new simulation evidence that dwarf-dwarf merging can produce BCDs with specific structural and stellar population features, including metal-poor stars and compact star clusters.

Findings

Merging triggers central starbursts and compact cores.

Old stellar components become diffuse after merging.

New stars are very metal-poor and form in high-pressure regions.

Abstract

We present the results of numerical simulations which show the formation of blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxies from merging between very gas-rich dwarfs with extended HI gas disks. We show that dwarf-dwarf merging can trigger central starbursts and form massive compact cores dominated by young stellar populations. We also show that the pre-existing old stellar components in merger precursor dwarfs can become diffuse low surface brightness components after merging. The compact cores dominated by younger stellar populations and embedded in more diffusely distributed older ones can be morphologically classified as BCDs. Since new stars can be formed from gas transferred from the outer part of the extended gas disks of merger precursors, new stars can be very metal-poor ([Fe/H] < -1). Owing to very high gaseous pressure exceeding 10^5 k_B (where k_B is the Boltzmann constant) during merging, compact star clusters can be formed in forming BCDs. The BCDs formed from merging can still have extended HI gas disks surrounding their blue compact cores. We discuss whether tidal interaction of gas-rich dwarfs without merging can also form BCDs.