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H. Junkersfeld (U.Montana, NAIC), J. Eder (NAIC-Arecibo Obs.), J. Schombert (U. Oregon)
Previously, gas-rich dwarf galaxies which exhibited regions of recent star formation have been classified morphologically as dwarf irregulars. As part of a survey of dwarf galaxies outside of clusters (Schombert, Pildis, and Eder 1997), six galaxies were identified with optical and radio properties consistent with classification as spiral galaxies: a double-horned 21 cm profile indicative of a rotating gas disk, and a bulge and disk morphology. All six are fainter than Mv = -17 and have diameters less than 11 kpcs, making them true dwarfs (Schombert et al 1995). These galaxies and 16 other gas-rich dwarfs with double-horned H I spectral profiles were imaged with the Mount Laguna 40” telescope and CCD camera with B and V filters. The B images clearly reveal star formation structures in most of the sample and surface photometry of the V images indicates both bulge and disk components. The star-forming (blue) regions are more organized than the chaotic lack of structure associated with dwarf irregular galaxies. This research was supported by the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates through the NAIC summer student program.