The dwarf low surface brightness galaxy population of the Virgo Cluster - II. Colours and HI line observations

In order to investigate the nature of dwarf low surface brightness (LSB) galaxies we have undertaken a deep B- and I-band CCD survey of a 14-deg² strip in the Virgo Cluster and applied a Fourier convolution technique to explore its dwarf galaxy population down to a central surface brightness of ~26 B magarcsec^-2 and a total absolute B mag of ~-10. In this paper we carry out an analysis of their morphology, (B-I) colours and atomic hydrogen content. We compare these properties with those of dwarf galaxies in other environments to try and assess how the cluster environment has influenced their evolution. Field dwarfs are generally of a more irregular morphology, are bluer and contain relatively more gas. We assess the importance that various physical processes have on the evolution of cluster dwarf galaxies (ram-pressure stripping, tidal interactions, supernova-driven gas loss). We suggest that enhanced star formation triggered by tidal interactions is the major reason for the very different general properties of cluster dwarfs: they have undergone accelerated evolution.