AVOCADO: A Virtual Observatory Census to Address Dwarfs Origins

TL;DR

AVOCADO creates a comprehensive, multiwavelength dataset of nearby dwarf galaxies to better understand their formation, evolution, and environmental influences, addressing previous observational challenges.

Contribution

It introduces a homogeneous, multiwavelength dataset for thousands of dwarf galaxies, enabling detailed analysis of their properties and evolutionary paths using Virtual Observatory tools.

Findings

Constructed spectral energy distributions for dwarf galaxies.

Derived star formation rates, masses, ages, metallicities.

Enabled environmental impact studies on dwarf galaxy evolution.

Abstract

Dwarf galaxies are by far the most abundant of all galaxy types, yet their properties are still poorly understood -especially due to the observational challenge that their intrinsic faintness represents. AVOCADO aims at establishing firm conclusions on their formation and evolution by constructing a homogeneous, multiwavelength dataset for a statistically significant sample of several thousand nearby dwarfs (-18 < Mi < -14). Using public data and Virtual Observatory tools, we have built GALEX+SDSS+2MASS spectral energy distributions that are fitted by a library of single stellar population models. Star formation rates, stellar masses, ages and metallicities are further complemented with structural parameters that can be used to classify them morphologically. This unique dataset, coupled with a detailed characterization of each dwar's environment, allows for a fully comprehensive investigation of their origins and to track the (potential) evolutionary paths between the different dwarf types.