Star forming dwarf galaxies

TL;DR

Star forming dwarf galaxies are crucial for understanding early galaxy formation, star formation processes, and feedback mechanisms, especially during their intense starburst phases which influence their evolution and the cosmic environment.

Contribution

This review emphasizes the importance of the starburst phase in SFDGs for understanding initial galaxy formation and evolution.

Findings

SFDGs have high gas content and low metallicity.

Extreme starbursts in SFDGs lead to super star clusters and superwinds.

The starburst phase is key to early galaxy formation.

Abstract

Star forming dwarf galaxies (SFDGs) have a high gas content and low metallicities, reminiscent of the basic entities in hierarchical galaxy formation scenarios. In the young universe they probably also played a major role in the cosmic reionization. Their abundant presence in the local volume and their youthful character make them ideal objects for detailed studies of the initial stellar mass function (IMF), fundamental star formation processes and its feedback to the interstellar medium. Occasionally we witness SFDGs involved in extreme starbursts, giving rise to strongly elevated production of super star clusters and global superwinds, mechanisms yet to be explored in more detail. SFDGs is the initial state of all dwarf galaxies and the relation to the environment provides us with a key to how different types of dwarf galaxies are emerging. In this review we will put the emphasis on the exotic starburst phase, as it seems less important for present day galaxy evolution but perhaps fundamental in the initial phase of galaxy formation.