Synthetic Color-magnitude Diagrams Research Articles

The Populations of Carina. II. Chemical Enrichment*

Abstract Chemical abundances are presented for 19 elements in a sample of 63 red giants in the Carina dwarf spheroidal galaxy (dSph), based on homogeneous 1D/LTE model atmosphere analyses of our own observations (32 stars) and data available in the literature (a further 31 independent stars). The (Fe) metallicity and [α/Fe] distribution functions have mean values and dispersions of −1.59 and 0.33 dex ([Fe/H] range: −2.68 to −0.64) and 0.07 and 0.13 dex ([α/Fe] range: −0.27 to 0.25), respectively. We confirm the finding of Venn et al. that a small percentage (some 10% in the present investigation) of the sample shows clear evidence for significant enrichment by Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) ejecta. Calcium, with the most accurately determined abundance of the α-elements, shows an asymmetric distribution toward smaller values of [Ca/Fe] at all [Fe/H], most significantly over −2.0 < [Fe/H] < −1.0, suggestive of incomplete mixing of the ejecta of SNe Ia with the ambient medium of each of Carina’s generations. Approximate color–magnitude diagram age estimates are presented for the sample, and together with our chemical abundances, compared with the results of our previous synthetic color–magnitude diagram analysis, which reported the details of Carina’s four well-defined populations. We searched for the Na–O anticorrelation universally reported in the Galaxy’s globular clusters and confirm that this phenomenon does not exist in Carina. We also found that one of the 32 stars in our sample has an extremely enhanced lithium abundance—A(Li)NLTE = +3.36, consistent with membership of the ∼1% group of Li-rich stars in dSph described by Kirby et al.

The Populations of Carina. I. Decoding the Color–Magnitude Diagram

Abstract We investigate the color–magnitude diagram (CMD) of the Carina dwarf spheroidal galaxy using data of Stetson et al. and synthetic CMDs based on isochrones of Dotter et al., in terms of the parameters [Fe/H], age, and [α/Fe], for the cases when (i) [α/Fe] is held constant and (ii) [α/Fe] is varied. The data are well described by four basic epochs of star formation, having [Fe/H] = −1.85, −1.5, −1.2, and ∼−1.15 and ages ∼13, 7, ∼3.5, and ∼1.5 Gyr, respectively (for [α/Fe] = 0.1, constant [α/Fe], and [α/Fe] = 0.2, 0.1, −0.2, −0.2, variable [α/Fe]), with small spreads in [Fe/H] and age of order 0.1 dex and 1–3 Gyr. Within an elliptical radius 13.′1, the mass fractions of the populations, at their times of formation, were (in decreasing age order) 0.34, 0.39, 0.23, and 0.04. This formalism reproduces five observed CMD features (two distinct subgiant branches of old and intermediate-age populations, two younger, main-sequence components, and the small color dispersion on the red giant branch (RGB). The parameters of the youngest population are less certain than those of the others, and given it is less centrally concentrated, it may not be directly related to them. High-resolution spectroscopically analyzed RGB samples appear statistically incomplete compared with those selected using radial velocity, which contain bluer stars comprising ∼5%–10% of the samples. We conjecture these objects may, at least in part, be members of the youngest population. We use the CMD simulations to obtain insight into the population structure of Carina's upper RGB.

Representative galaxy age–metallicity relationships

The ongoing surveys of galaxies and those for the next generation of telescopes will demand the execution of high-CPU consuming machine codes for recovering detailed star formation histories (SFHs) and hence age-metallicity relationships (AMRs). We present here an expeditive method which provides quick-look AMRs on the basis of representative ages and metallicities obtained from colour-magnitude diagram (CMD) analyses. We have tested its perfomance by generating synthetic CMDs for a wide variety of galaxy SFHs. The representative AMRs turn out to be reliable down to a magnitude limit with a photometric completeness factor higher than $\sim$ 85 per cent, and trace the chemical evolution history for any stellar population (represented by a mean age and an intrinsic age spread) with a total mass within ~ 40 per cent of the more massive stellar population in the galaxy.

On the impact of helium abundance on the Cepheid period–luminosity and Wesenheit relations and the distance ladder

This work analyses the effect of the helium content on synthetic period–luminosity relations (PLRs) and period–Wesenheit relations (PWRs) of Cepheids and the systematic uncertainties on the derived distances that a hidden population of He-enhanced Cepheids may generate. We use new stellar and pulsation models to build a homogeneous and consistent framework to derive the Cepheid features. The Cepheid populations expected in synthetic colour–magnitude diagrams of young stellar systems (from 20 to 250 Myr) are computed in several photometric bands for Y = 0.25 and 0.35, at a fixed metallicity (Z = 0.008). The PLRs appear to be very similar in the two cases, with negligible effects (few per cent) on distances, while PWRs differ somewhat, with systematic uncertainties in deriving distances as high as ∼ 7 per cent at log P < 1.5. Statistical effects due to the number of variables used to determine the relations contribute to a distance systematic error of the order of few percent, with values decreasing from optical to near-infrared bands. The empirical PWRs derived from multiwavelength data sets for the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is in a very good agreement with our theoretical PWRs obtained with a standard He content, supporting the evidence that LMC Cepheids do not show any He effect.

HUBBLE TARANTULA TREASURY PROJECT. V. THE STAR CLUSTER HODGE 301: THE OLD FACE OF 30 DORADUS*

ABSTRACT Based on color–magnitude diagrams (CMDs) from the Hubble Space Telescope Hubble Tarantula Treasury Project (HTTP) survey, we present the star formation history of Hodge 301, the oldest star cluster in the Tarantula Nebula. The HTTP photometry extends faint enough to reach, for the first time, the cluster pre-main sequence (PMS) turn-on, where the PMS joins the main sequence. Using the location of this feature, along with synthetic CMDs generated with the latest PARSEC models, we find that Hodge 301 is older than previously thought, with an age between 26.5 and 31.5 Myr. From this age, we also estimate that between 38 and 61 Type II supernovae exploded in the region. The same age is derived from the main sequence turn-off, whereas the age derived from the post-main sequence stars is younger and between 20 and 25 Myr. Other relevant parameters are a total stellar mass of ≈8800 ± 800 M ⊙ and average reddening E(B − V) ≈ 0.22–0.24 mag, with a differential reddening δE(B − V) ≈ 0.04 mag.

STELLAR POPULATIONS AND STAR FORMATION HISTORY OF THE METAL-POOR DWARF GALAXY DDO 68∗

ABSTRACT We present the star formation history (SFH) of the extremely metal-poor dwarf galaxy DDO 68, based on our photometry with the Advanced Camera for Surveys. With a metallicity of only and a very isolated location, DDO 68 is one of the most metal-poor galaxies known. It has been argued that DDO 68 is a young system that started forming stars only ∼0.15 Gyr ago. Our data provide a deep and uncontaminated optical color–magnitude diagram (CMD) that allows us to disprove this hypothesis since we find a population of at least ∼1 Gyr old stars. The star formation activity has been fairly continuous over all the look-back time. The current rate is quite low, and the highest activity occurred between 10 and 100 Myr ago. The average star formation rate over the whole Hubble time is ≃0.01 M ⊙ yr−1, corresponding to a total astrated mass of ≃1.3 × 108 M ⊙. Our photometry allows us to infer the distance from the tip of the red giant branch, D = 12.08 ± 0.67 Mpc; however, to let our synthetic CMD reproduce the observed ones, we need a slightly higher distance, D = 12.65 Mpc, or (m − M)0 = 30.51, still inside the errors of the previous determination, and we adopt the latter. DDO 68 shows a very interesting and complex history, with its quite disturbed shape and a long tail, probably due to tidal interactions. The SFH of the tail differs from that of the main body mainly for enhanced activity at recent epochs likely triggered by the interaction.

Lighting up stars in chemical evolution models: the CMD of Sculptor

We present a novel approach to draw the synthetic color-magnitude diagram of galaxies, which can provide - in principle - a deeper insight in the interpretation and understanding of current observations. In particular, we `light up' the stars of chemical evolution models, according to their initial mass, metallicity and age, to eventually understand how the assumed underlying galaxy formation and evolution scenario affects the final configuration of the synthetic CMD. In this way, we obtain a new set of observational constraints for chemical evolution models beyond the usual photospheric chemical abundances. The strength of our method resides in the very fine grid of metallicities and ages of the assumed database of stellar isochrones. In this work, we apply our photo-chemical model to reproduce the observed CMD of the Sculptor dSph and find that we can reproduce the main features of the observed CMD. The main discrepancies are found at fainter magnitudes in the main sequence turn-off and sub-giant branch, where the observed CMD extends towards bluer colors than the synthetic one; we suggest that this is a signature of metal-poor stellar populations in the data, which cannot be captured by our assumed one-zone chemical evolution model.

Envelope overshooting in low-metallicity intermediate- and high-mass stars: a test with the Sagittarius dwarf irregular galaxy

We check the performance of the {\sl\,PARSEC} tracks in reproducing the blue loops of intermediate age and young stellar populations at very low metallicity. We compute new evolutionary {\sl\,PARSEC} tracks of intermediate- and high-mass stars from 2\Msun to 350\Msun with enhanced envelope overshooting (EO), EO=2\HP and 4\HP, for very low metallicity, Z=0.0005. The input physics, including the mass-loss rate, has been described in {\sl\,PARSEC}~V1.2 version. By comparing the synthetic color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) obtained from the different sets of models with envelope overshooting EO=0.7\HP (the standard {\sl\,PARSEC} tracks), 2\HP and 4\HP, with deep observations of the Sagittarius dwarf irregular galaxy (SagDIG), we find an overshooting scale EO=2\HP to best reproduce the observed loops. This result is consistent with that obtained by \citet{Tang_etal14} for Z in the range 0.001-0.004. We also discuss the dependence of the blue loop extension on the adopted instability criterion and find that, contrary to what stated in literature, the Schwarzschild criterion, instead of the Ledoux criterion, favours the development of blue loops. Other factors that could affect the CMD comparisons such as differential internal extinction or the presence of binary systems are found to have negligible effects on the results. We thus confirm that, in presence of core overshooting during the H-burning phase, a large envelope overshooting is needed to reproduce the main features of the central He-burning phase of intermediate- and high-mass stars.

The pulsating variable star population in DDO210

We have probed the pulsating variable star content of the isolated Local Group dwarf galaxy, DDO210 (Aquarius), using archival Advanced Camera for Surveys/$Hubble$ $Space$ $Telescope$ imaging in the F475W and F814W passbands. We find a total of 32 RR Lyrae stars (24 ab-type, 8 c-type) and 75 Cepheid variables. The mean periods of the ab-type and c-type RR Lyrae stars are calculated to be $\langle$P$_{\mathrm{ab}}\rangle = 0.609\pm0.011$ and $\langle$P$_{\mathrm{c}}\rangle = 0.359\pm0.025$ days, respectively. The light curve properties of the fundamental mode RR Lyrae stars yield a mean metallicity of $\langle$[Fe/H]$\rangle$ = -1.63$\pm$0.11 dex for this ancient population, consistent with a recent synthetic colour-magnitude diagram analysis. We find this galaxy to be Oosterhoff-intermediate and lacking in high-amplitude, short-period ab-type RR Lyrae, consistent with behavior recently observed for many dwarf spheroidals and ultra-faint dwarfs in the Local Group. We find a distance modulus of $\mu = 25.07\pm 0.12$ as determined by the RR Lyrae stars, slightly larger but agreeing with recent distance estimates from the red giant branch tip. We also find a sizable population of Cepheid variables in this galaxy. We provide evidence in favor of most if not all of these stars being short-period classical Cepheids. Assuming all of these stars to be classical Cepheids, we find that most of these Cepheids are $\sim$300 Myr old, with the youngest Cepheids being offset from the older Cepheids and the centre of the galaxy. We conclude that this may have resulted from a migration of star formation in DDO210.

Photometric and spectroscopic study of the intermediate-age open cluster NGC 2355

In this paper we analyse the evolutionary status and properties of the old open cluster NGC 2355, located in the Galactic anticentre direction, as a part of the long term programme BOCCE. NGC 2355 was observed with LBC@LBT using the Bessel $B$, $V$, and $I_c$ filters. The cluster parameters have been obtained using the synthetic colour-magnitude diagram (CMD) method, as done in other papers of this series. Additional spectroscopic observations with FIES@NOT of three giant stars were used to determine the chemical properties of the cluster. Our analysis shows that NGC 2355 has metallicity slightly less than solar, with [Fe/H]$=-0.06$ dex, age between 0.8 and 1 Gyr, reddening $E(B-V)$ in the range 0.14 and 0.19 mag, and distance modulus $(m-M)_0$ of about 11 mag. We also investigated the abundances of O, Na, Al, $\alpha$, iron-peak, and neutron capture elements, showing that NGC 2355 falls within the abundance distribution of similar clusters (same age and metallicity). The Galactocentric distance of NGC~2355 places it at the border between two regimes of metallicity distribution; this makes it an important cluster for the study of the chemical properties and evolution of the disc.

HUBBLE TARANTULA TREASURY PROJECT. II. THE STAR-FORMATION HISTORY OF THE STARBURST REGION NGC 2070 IN 30 DORADUS

We present a study of the recent star formation of 30 Doradus in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) using the panchromatic imaging survey Hubble Tarantula Treasury Project (HTTP). In this paper we focus on the stars within 20 pc of the center of the massive ionizing cluster of 30 Doradus, NGC 2070. We recovered the star formation history by comparing deep optical and NIR color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) with state-of-the-art synthetic CMDs generated with the latest PARSEC models, which include all stellar phases from pre-main sequence to post- main sequence. For the first time in this region we are able to measure the star formation using intermediate and low mass stars simultaneously. Our results suggest that NGC2070 experienced a prolonged activity. In particular, we find that the star formation in the region: i) exceeded the average LMC rate ~ 20 Myr ago; ii) accelerated dramatically ~ 7 Myr ago; and iii) reached a peak value 1-3 Myr ago. We did not find significant deviations from a Kroupa initial mass function down to 0.5 Msun. The average internal reddening E(B-V) is found to be between 0.3 and 0.4 mag.

Star-Formation Histories of Resolved Galaxies in the Local Volume

AbstractColor-magnitude diagrams of resolved stellar populations are the most powerful tool to derive the star formation histories of galaxies. In this review the method to infer star formation histories by comparing synthetic color-magnitude diagrams to deep, high-precision, multi-color photometry is briefly outlined, and our current knowledge of the star formation history of systems within the local Volume is summarized.

Dissecting 30 Doradus: Optical and Near Infrared Star Formation History of the starburst cluster NGC2070 from the Hubble Tarantula Treasury Project

AbstractI will present new results on the star formation history of 30 Doradus in the Large Magellanic Cloud based on the panchromatic imaging survey Hubble Tarantula Treasury Project (HTTP). Here the focus is on the starburst cluster NGC2070. The star formation history is derived by comparing the deepest ever optical and NIR color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) with state-of-the-art synthetic CMDs generated with the latest PARSEC models, which include all stellar phases from pre-main sequence to post-main sequence. For the first time in this region we are able to measure the star formation using intermediate and low mass stars simultaneously. Our results suggest that NGC2070 experienced a prolonged activity. I will discuss the detailed star formation history, initial mass function and reddening distribution.

POPULATION EFFECTS ON THE METALLICITY DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION DERIVED FROM THE RED GIANT BRANCH

We have tested the reliability of the red giant branch (RGB) as a metallicity indicator accounting for observational errors as well as the complexity of star formation histories (SFHs) and chemical evolution histories observed in various stellar systems. We generate model color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) produced with a variety of evolutionary histories and compare the resultant metallicity estimates from the colors and magnitudes of RGB stars to the true input metallicities. We include realistic models for photometric errors and completeness in our synthetic CMDs. As expected, for simple simple stellar populations dominated by old stars, the RGB provides a very accurate estimate of the modular metallicity value for a population. An error in the age of a system targeted for this type of study may produce metallicity errors of a few tenths of a dex. The size of this metallicity error depends linearly on the age error, and we find this dependence to be stronger with more precise photometry. If the population has experienced any significant star formation within the last $\sim$6 Gyr, the metallicity estimates, [M/H], derived from the RGB may be in error by up to $\sim$0.5 dex. Perhaps the most important consideration for this technique is an accurate, independent estimate of the average age for the target stellar system, especially if it is probable that a significant fraction of the population formed less than $\sim$6 Gyr ago.

The old, metal-poor, anticentre open cluster Trumpler 5★

As part of a long term programme, we analyse the evolutionary status and properties of the old and populous open cluster Trumpler 5 (Tr 5), located in the Galactic anticentre direction, almost on the Galactic plane. Tr 5 was observed with WFI@MPG/ESO Telescope using the Bessel $U$, $B$, and $V$ filters. The cluster parameters have been obtained using the synthetic colour-magnitude diagram (CMD) method, i.e. the direct comparison of the observational CMD with a library of synthetic CMDs generated with different stellar evolution sets (Padova, FRANEC, and FST). Age, reddening, and distance are derived through the synthetic CMD method using stellar evolutionary models with subsolar metallicity ($Z=0.004$ or $Z=0.006$). Additional spectroscopic observations with UVES@VLT of three red clump stars of the cluster were used to determine more robustly the chemical properties of the cluster. Our analysis shows that Tr 5 has subsolar metallicity, with [Fe/H]$=-0.403\pm0.006$ dex (derived from spectroscopy), age between 2.9 and 4 Gyr (the lower age is found using stellar models without core overshooting), reddening $E(B-V)$ in the range 0.60 to 0.66 mag complicated by a differential pattern (of the order of $\sim\pm0.1$ mag), and distance modulus $(m-M)_0=12.4\pm0.1$ mag.

STELLAR ENCOUNTER DRIVEN RED-GIANT STAR MASS LOSS IN GLOBULAR CLUSTERS

Globular Cluster (GC) Color-Magnitude Diagrams (CMDs) are reasonably well understood in terms of standard stellar-evolution. However, there are still some open issues, such as fully accounting for the Horizontal Branch (HB) morphology in terms of chemical and dynamical parameters. Mass-loss on the Red Giant Branch (RGB) shapes the mass-distribution of the HB stars, and the color distribution in turn. The physical mechanisms driving mass-loss are still unclear, as direct observations fail to reveal a clear correlation between mass-loss rate and stellar properties. The horizontal-branch mass-distribution is further complicated by Helium-enhanced multiple stellar populations, because of differences in the evolving mass along the HB. We present a simple analytical mass-loss model, based on tidal stripping through Roche-Lobe OverFlow (RLOF) during stellar encounters. Our model naturally results in a non-gaussian mass-loss distribution, with high skewness, and contains only two free parameters. We fit it to the HB mass distribution of four Galactic GCs, as obtained from fitting the CMD with Zero Age HB (ZAHB) models. The best-fit model accurately reproduces the observed mass-distribution. If confirmed on a wider sample of GCs, our results would account for the effects of dynamics in RGB mass-loss processes and provide a physically motivated procedure for synthetic CMDs of GCs. Our physical modeling of mass-loss may result in the ability to disentangle the effects of dynamics and helium-enhanced multiple-populations on the HB morphology and is instrumental in making HB morphology a probe of the dynamical state of GCs, leading to an improved understanding of their evolution.

Updated properties of the old open cluster Melotte 66: Searching for multiple stellar populations

Multiple generations of stars are routinely encountered in globular clusters but no convincing evidence has been found in Galactic open clusters to date. In this paper we use new photometric and spectroscopic data to search for multiple stellar population signatures in the old, massive open cluster, Melotte~66. The cluster is known to have a red giant branch wide in color, which could be an indication of metallicity spread. Also the main sequence is wider than what is expected from photometric errors only. This evidence might be associated with either differential reddening or binaries. Both hypothesis have, however, to be evaluated in detail before recurring to the presence of multiple stellar populations. New, high-quality, CCD UBVI photometry have been acquired to this aim with high-resolution spectroscopy of seven clump stars, that are complemented with literature data. Our photometric study confirms that the width of the main sequence close to the turn off point is entirely accounted for by binary stars and differential reddening, with no need to advocate more sofisticated scenarios, such as metallicity spread or multiple main sequences. By constructing synthetic color-magnitude diagrams, we infer that the binary fraction has to be as large as 30$%$ and their mass ratio in the range 0.6-1.0. As a by-product of our simulations, we provide new estimates of the cluster fundamental parameters. We measure a reddening E(B-V)=0.15$\pm$0.02, and confirm the presence of a marginal differential reddening. The distance to the cluster is $4.7^{+0.2}_{-0.1} $kpc and the age is 3.4$\pm$0.3 Gyr, which is somewhat younger and better constrained than previous estimates. Our detailed abundance analysis reveals that, overall, Melotte~66 looks like a typical object of the old thin disk population.

Populations of rotating stars

(abridged) We present a new tool for building synthetic colour-magnitude diagrams of coeval stellar populations. We study, from a theoretical point of view, the impact of axial rotation of stars on various observed properties of single-aged stellar populations: magnitude at the turnoff, photometric properties of evolved stars, surface velocities, surface abundances, and the impact of rotation on the age determination of clusters by an isochrone fitting. Stellar models for different initial masses, metallicities, and zero-age main sequence (ZAMS) rotational velocities are used for building interpolated stellar tracks, isochrones, and synthetic clusters for various ages and metallicities. The synthetic populations account for the effects of the initial distribution of the rotational velocities on the ZAMS, the impact of the inclination angle and the effects of gravity and limb darkening, unresolved binaries and photometric errors. Interpolated tracks, isochrones, and synthetic clusters can be computed through a public web interface. For clusters with a metallicity in the range [0.002, 0.014] and an age between 30 Myr and 1 Gyr, the fraction of fast rotators on the main sequence (MS) band is the largest just below the turnoff. This is a natural consequence of the increase in the MS lifetime due to rotation. The fraction of fast rotators one magnitude below the turnoff also increases with the age of the cluster between 30 Myr and 1 Gyr. There is an increase in the fraction of enriched stars when the metallicity decreases. We show that the use of isochrones computed from rotating stellar models with an initial rotation that is representative of the average initial rotation of the stars in clusters provides a reasonable estimate of the age, even though stars in a real cluster did not start their evolution with an identical initial rotation.

Multipopulation aftereffects on the color–magnitude diagram and Cepheid variables of young stellar systems

Context: The evidence of a multipopulation scenario in Galactic globular clusters raises several questions about the formation and evolution of the two (or more) generations of stars. These populations show differences in their age and chemical composition. These differences are found in old- and intermediate- age stellar clusters in the Local Group. The observations of young stellar systems are expected to present footprints of multiple stellar populations. Aims: This theoretical work intends to be a specific step in exploring the space of the observational indicators of multipopulations, without covering all the combinations of parameters that may contribute to the formation of multiple generations of stars in a cluster or in galaxy. The goal is to shed light on the possible observational features expected by core He-burning stars that belong to two stellar populations with different original He content and ages. Methods: The tool adopted was the stellar population synthesis. We used new stellar and pulsation models to construct a homogeneous and consistent framework. Synthetic color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) of young- and intermediate-age stellar systems (from 20 Myr up to 1 Gyr) were computed in several photometric bands to derive possible indicators of double populations both in the observed CMDs and in the pulsation properties of the Cepheids. Results: We predict that the morphology of the red/blue clump in VIK bands can be used to photometrically indicate the two stellar populations in a rich assembly of stars if there is a significant difference in their original He content. Moreover, the period distribution of the Cepheids appears to be widely affected by the coeval multiple generations of stars within stellar systems. We show that the Wesenheit relations may be affected by the helium content of the Cepheids.

GHOSTS I: A NEW FAINT VERY ISOLATED DWARF GALAXY ATD= 12 ± 2 Mpc

We report the discovery of a new faint dwarf galaxy, GHOSTS I, using HST/ACS data from one of our GHOSTS (Galaxy Halos, Outer disks, Substructure, Thick disk, and Star clusters) fields. Its detected individual stars populate an approximately one magnitude range of its luminosity function (LF). Using synthetic color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) to compare with the galaxy's CMD, we find that the colors and magnitudes of GHOSTS I's individual stars are most consistent with being young helium-burning and asymptotic giant branch stars at a distance of 12 +/- 2 Mpc. Morphologically, GHOSTS I appears to be actively forming stars, so we tentatively classify it as a dwarf irregular (dIrr) galaxy, although future HST observations deep enough to resolve a larger magnitude range in its LF are required to make a more secure classification. GHOSTS I's absolute magnitude is $M_V = -9.85^{+ 0.40}_{- 0.33}$, making it one of the least luminous dIrr galaxies known, and its metallicity is lower than [Fe/H] =-1.5 dex. The half-light radius of GHOSTS I is 226 +/- 38 pc and its ellipticity is 0.47 +/- 0.07, similar to Milky Way and M31 dwarf satellites at comparable luminosity. There are no luminous massive galaxies or galaxy clusters within ~ 4 Mpc from GHOSTS I that could be considered as its host, making it a very isolated dwarf galaxy in the Local Universe.