The star formation history (SFH) and the properties of the dwarf galaxy LGS3
are analyzed using color-magnitude (CM) diagrams plotted from VRI photometry of
736 stars. The distance to the galaxy is estimated through the position of the
tip or the red giant branch. Two acceptable results have been obtained:
0.77+/-0.07 Mpc and 0.96+/-0.07 Mpc, although the first value is favored by
complementary considerations on the stellar content of the galaxy. Both values
make LGS3 a possible satellite of M31 or of M33. The SFH is investigated for
each of the two adopted distances comparing the observed CM diagrams with model
CM diagrams computed for different star formation rates (psi(t)) and chemical
enrichment laws (Z(t)).
The results are compatible with LGS3 having been forming stars since an early
epoch, 15-12 Gyr ago, at an almost constant rate if distance is 0.77 Mpc or at
an exponentially decreasing rate if distance is 0.96 Mpc. According to our
models, the current metallicity would range from Z~0.0007 to Z~0.002. Other
results are the current psi(t): (0.55+/-0.04)x10^(-10) Mo yr^(-1) pc^(-2) or
(0.47+/-0.07)x10^(-10) Mo yr^(-1) pc^(-2), depending of the distance, and its
average for the entire life of the galaxy, =(1.4+/-0.1)x10^(-10) Mo
yr^(-1) pc^(-2). At the present psi(t), the probability of LGS3 having an HII
region is 0.2, which is compatible with the fact that no HII regions have been
found in the galaxy. Its fraction of gas relative to the mass intervening in
the chemical evolution is about 0.40 and its percentage of dark matter (that
which cannot be explained as stellar remnants or by extrapolation of the used
IMF to low masses) is 95%. The results for psi(t) and Z(t) for d=0.77 Mpc are
compatible with a moderate outflow of well mixed material (lambda=3), but largeComment: 23 pages, 3 tables, 14 figures. AJ in pres