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On the Metallicity of Blue Compact Dwarfs

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Dwarf Galaxies: Keys to Galaxy Formation and Evolution

Part of the book series: Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings ((ASSSP))

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Abstract

Based on the even distribution of metals in Blue Compact Dwarfs (BCDs) spread all over their volume, we show that a large amount of stars (≥108 M⊙) are required to justify such a homogeneous metal abundance. We also show that such a mass would imply a large number of bursts similar to the ones presently energizing the giant nebulae. On the other hand, the underlying stellar population in BCDs can easily account for the mass required to justify the homogeneous metal abundance. We also review the recent results concerning the hydrodynamics of the matter reinserted by winds and supernovae in young, massive and compact superstar clusters. In particular we show that clusters undergoing the bimodal hydrodynamic solution, retain a large amount of the reinserted matter and this lowers their mechanical energy power as well as the amount of metals expected to mix with the ISM.

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Acknowledgements

My thanks to Elena Terlevich for a critical review of the manuscript. This study has been supported by CONACYT - México, research grant 60333 and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation under the collaboration ESTALLIDOS (grant AYA2007-67965-C03-01) and Consolider-Ingenio 2010 Program grant CSD2006-00070: First Science with the GTC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica Optica y Electrónica, AP 51, 72000, Puebla, México

    Guillermo Tenorio-Tagle

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  1. Guillermo Tenorio-Tagle
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Correspondence to Guillermo Tenorio-Tagle .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Centro de Astrofísica, Universidade do Porto, Rua das Estrelas, Porto, 4150-762, Portugal

    Polychronis Papaderos

  2. , Institute of Astronomy, University of Vienna, Türkenschanzstr. 17, Vienna, 1180, Austria

    Simone Recchi

  3. , Institute of Astronomy, University of Vienna, Türkenschanzstr. 17, Vienna, 1180, Austria

    Gerhard Hensler

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Tenorio-Tagle, G. (2012). On the Metallicity of Blue Compact Dwarfs. In: Papaderos, P., Recchi, S., Hensler, G. (eds) Dwarf Galaxies: Keys to Galaxy Formation and Evolution. Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-22018-0_29

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-22018-0_29

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-22017-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-22018-0

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