Palomar/Las Campanas Imaging Atlas of Blue Compact Dwarf galaxies: I. Images and integrated photometry

We present B, R, and Halpha images for a total of 114 nearby galaxies (v_helio<4000km/s) that, with exception of 9 objects, are classified as Blue Compact Dwarfs (BCDs). BR integrated magnitudes, Halpha fluxes and Halpha equivalent widths for all the objects in the sample are presented. A new set of quantitative, observational criteria for a galaxy to be classified as a BCD is proposed. These criteria include a limit on the K-band luminosity (i.e. stellar mass; M_K>-21mag), peak surface brightness (mu_B,peak<22mag/arcsec^2), and color at the peak surface brightness (mu_B,peak-mu_R,peak<~1). Halpha emission is detected in all but three sample galaxies. Typical color, absolute magnitude, and Halpha luminosity are (B-R)=0.7+/-0.3mag, M_B=-16.1+/-1.4mag, and log(L_Halpha)=40.0+/-0.6(erg/s). Galaxies morphologically classified as nE and iE BCDs within our sample show lower Halpha equivalent widths and redder colors, on average, than the iI and i0-type BCDs. For most of the galaxies the presence of an evolved stellar population is required to explain their observed properties; only the most metal-poor BCDs (e.g. IZw18, Tol65) are still compatible with a pure, young burst. The flux-calibrated and WCS-compliant images in this Atlas are individually available through the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED) image server and collectively through a dedicated web page at http://nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/Sept02/Palco_BCD/frames.html