Abstract
The current Lambda CDM cosmological model predicts that galaxy evolution
proceeds more slowly in lower density environments, suggesting that voids are a
prime location to search for relatively pristine galaxies that are
representative of the building blocks of early massive galaxies. To test this,
we compare the evolutionary properties of a sample of dwarf galaxies selected
specifically to lie in voids with a sample of similar isolated dwarf galaxies
in average density environments. We measure gas-phase oxygen abundances and gas
fractions for eight dwarf galaxies (M_r > -16.2), carefully selected to reside
within the lowest density environments of seven voids, and apply the same
calibrations to existing samples of isolated dwarf galaxies. We find no
significant difference between these void dwarf galaxies and the isolated dwarf
galaxies, suggesting that dwarf galaxy chemical evolution proceeds independent
of the large-scale environment.
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