MULTISPECTRAL STUDY OF A NEW SAMPLE OF BLUE COMPACT DWARF GALAXIES .1. B-SURFACE AND R-SURFACE PHOTOMETRY OF 23 OBJECTS FROM THE BYURAKAN LISTS

We present the first results of the surface photometry of a sample of Blue Compact Dwarf galaxies (hereafter BCDGs). The images were obtaine d at Pic du Midi (France) and Asiago (Italy). In this paper, we produc e an atlas of isophotal maps and brightness distribution profiles for 23 objects in the Northern hemisphere. Short individual descriptions o f the galaxies, and tables of photometric parameters are given. The ma in result is that a substantial fraction of objects are showing an tau (1/4) brightness distribution, consistently with previous observations . The integral colors, luminosity-radius relations and ''compactness'' properties are briefly investigated. This sample is being extended wi th new observations, that will be reported in a future paper with a mo re complete discussion.