The dwarf low surface brightness population in different environments of the local universe

Abstract

The nature of the dwarf galaxy population as a function of location in the cluster and within different environments is investigated. We have previously described the results of a search for low surface brightness objects in data drawn from an East-West strip of the Virgo cluster (Sabatini et al(2004)) and have compared this to a large area strip outside of the cluster (Roberts et al (2004)). In this talk I compare the East-West data (sampling sub-cluster A and outward) to new data along a North-South cluster strip that samples a different region (part of sub-cluster A, and the N, M clouds) and with data obtained for the Ursa Major cluster and fields around the spiral galaxy M101. The sample of dwarf galaxies in different environments is obtained from uniform datasets that reach central surface brightness values of 26 B mag/arcsec2 and an apparent B magnitude of 21 (MB =10 for a Virgo Cluster distance of 16 Mpc). We discuss and interpret our results on the properties and distribution of dwarf low surface brightness galaxies in the context of variuos physical processes that are thought to act on galaxies as they form and evolve. © 2008 International Astronomical Union.