Deep near-infrared mapping of young and old stars in blue compact dwarf galaxies

We analyze J, H, and K-s near-infrared data for nine blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxies, selected from a larger sample that we have already studied in the optical. We present contour maps, surface brightness and color profiles, and color maps of the sample galaxies. The morphology of the BCDs in the near-infrared (NIR) has been found to be basically the same as in the optical. The inner regions of these systems are dominated by the starburst component. At low surface brightness levels the emission is due to the underlying host galaxy; the latter is characterized by red, radially constant colors and isophotes well fitted by ellipses. We derive accurate optical-NIR host galaxy colors for eight of the sample galaxies; these colors are typical of an evolved stellar population. Interestingly, optical-NIR color maps reveal the presence of a complex, large-scale absorption pattern in three of the sample galaxies. We study the applicability of the Sersic law to describe the surface brightness profiles of the underlying host galaxy and find that, because of the limited surface brightness interval over which the fit can be made, the derived Sersic parameters are very sensitive to the selected radial interval and to errors in the sky subtraction. Fitting an exponential model gives generally more stable results and can provide a useful tool to quantify the structural properties of the host galaxy and compare them with those of other dwarf classes, as well as with those of star-forming dwarfs at higher redshifts.