# # Program information file # PROGRAM_ID 2024B076 PROGRAM_TITLE Probing the mid-infrared spectra of rare broad-line blue compact dwarf galaxies PROGRAM_INV1 Igor Chilingarian PROGRAM_INV2 Franz Bauer PROGRAM_INV3 Kirill Grishin PROGRAM_INV4 Evgenii Rubtsov PROGRAM_INV5 PROGRAM_SCICAT extra-galactic PROGRAM_ABSTRACT_BEG Local analogs of so-called 'Little Red Dots', compact sources discovered by the JWST at high redshifts, which have broad permitted emission lines, and strong UV and IR excess in their spectra may hold important clues about the mechanisms responsible for seeding and fueling SMBHs in the early universe, particularly in low-mass environments. We argue that broad-line blue compact dwarfs [BL-BCDs] are such analogs and propose to acquire near-to-mid-infrared K/L-band for a sample of four BL-BCDs using IRTF SpeX. Our observations will target the 3.3um PAH complex and several permitted hydrogen and forbidden metal lines and, hence, will better elucidate the contributions from the AGN and stellar population and potentially provide critical input on a number of uncertain properties of both BL-BCDs, and by extension, BL-LRDs. Being a challenging project for ground-based facilities [K=15.0-15.5 mag], this is an essential step towards understanding the physics of these mysterious sources and paving the path for future studies with JWST in the mid-IR. PROGRAM_ABSTRACT_END