The Nature and Evolution of the Blue Compact Galaxies

The relationships between the various kinds of dwarf galaxies (elliptical, irregular and blue compact dwarfs) are poorly understood. This is an important problem, because the vast majority of the galaxies in the universe are dwarfs. The project aim is to understand the role of the blue compact dwarfs (BCD): why are they forming stars so vigorously and what will they become when the starburst dies away? The expected outcome is an enhanced understanding of the BCD phenomenon (with several publications), further development of dwarf galaxy research in Korea, and broadened international cooperation in astrophysics between Australia and Korea.