We present the dust properties of a small sample of Virgo cluster dwarf galaxies drawn from the science demonstration phase data set of the Herschel Virgo Cluster Survey. These galaxies have low metallicities (7.8 < 12 + log(O/H) < 8.3) and star-formation rates < 10^{ -1} M_{ sun}/yr. We measure the spectral energy distribution (SED) from 100 to 500 um and derive dust temperatures and dust masses. The SEDs are fitted by a cool component of temperature T < 20 K, implying dust masses around 10^{ 5} M_{ sun} and dust-to-gas ratios D within the range 10^{ -3}-10^{ -2}. The completion of the full survey will yield a larger set of galaxies, which will provide more stringent constraints on the dust content of star-forming dwarf galaxies.
Categories: astro-ph.CO