arXiv subjects

N. G. Guseva

Publications and source records attributed to N. G. Guseva.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2013

Multi-wavelength study of 14000 star-forming galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

(abridged) We studied a large sample of ~14000 dwarf star-forming galaxies with strong emission lines selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and distributed in the redshift range of z~0-0.6. We modelled spectral energy distributions (SED) of all galaxies which were based on the SDSS spectra in the visible range of 0.38-0.92 micron and included both the stellar and ionised gas emission. These SEDs were extrapolated to the UV and mid-infrared ranges to cover the wavelength range of 0.1-22 micron. The SDSS spectroscopic data were supplemented by photometric data from the GALEX, SDSS, 2MASS, WISE, IRAS, and NVSS all-sky surveys. We derived global characteristics of the galaxies, such as their element abundances, luminosities, and stellar masses. The luminosities and stellar masses range within the sample over ~5 orders of magnitude, thereby linking low-mass and low-luminosity blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxies to luminous galaxies, which are similar to high-redshift Lyman-break galaxies (LBGs). The luminosity L(Hbeta) of the Hbeta emission line, a characteristic of the youngest stellar population with an age of a few Myr, is correlated with luminosities in other wavelength ranges. This implies that the most recent burst of star formation makes a significant contribution to the emission in the visible range and dominates in other wavelength ranges. We found 20 galaxies with very red WISE mid-infrared m(3.4micron)-m(4.6micron) colour (>2 mag), which suggests the important contribution of the hot (with a temperature of several hundred degree) dust emission in these galaxies. Our analysis of the balance between the luminosity in the WISE bands that covered a wavelength range of 3.4-22 micron and the luminosity of the emission absorbed at shorter wavelengths showed that the luminosity of the hot dust emission is increased with increasing L(Hbeta) and EW(Hbeta).

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arXiv2013

Primordial 4He abundance: a determination based on the largest sample of HII regions with a methodology tested on model HII regions

We verified the validity of the empirical method to derive the 4He abundance used in our previous papers by applying it to CLOUDY (v13.01) models. Using newly published HeI emissivities, for which we present convenient fits as well as the output CLOUDY case B hydrogen and HeI line intensities, we found that the empirical method is able to reproduce the input CLOUDY 4He abundance with an accuracy of better than 1%. The CLOUDY output data also allowed us to derive the non-recombination contribution to the intensities of the strongest Balmer hydrogen Halpha, Hbeta, Hgamma, and Hdelta emission lines and the ionisation correction factors for He. With these improvements we used our updated empirical method to derive the 4He abundances and to test corrections for several systematic effects in a sample of 1610 spectra of low-metallicity extragalactic HII regions, the largest sample used so far. From this sample we extracted a subsample of 111 HII regions with Hbeta equivalent width EW(Hbeta) > 150A, with excitation parameter x = O^{2+}/O > 0.8, and with helium mass fraction Y derived with an accuracy better than 3%. With this subsample we derived the primordial 4He mass fraction Yp = 0.254+/-0.003 from linear regression Y-O/H. The derived value of Yp is higher at the 68% confidence level (CL) than that predicted by the standard big bang nucleosynthesis (SBBN) model, possibly implying the existence of different types of neutrino species in addition to the three known types of active neutrinos. Using the most recently derived primordial abundances D/H = (2.60+/-0.12)x10^{-5} and Yp = 0.254+/-0.003 and the chi^2 technique, we found that the best agreement between abundances of these light elements is achieved in a cosmological model with baryon mass density Omegab h^2 = 0.0234+/-0.0019 (68% CL) and an effective number of the neutrino species Neff = 3.51+/-0.35 (68% CL).

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arXiv2013

The Mg II 2797, 2803 emission in low-metallicity star-forming galaxies from the SDSS

We present 65 Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) spectra of 62 star-forming galaxies with oxygen abundances 12 + logO/H ~ 7.5-8.4. Redshifts of selected galaxies are in the range z~0.36-0.70. This allows us to detect the redshifted MgII 2797,2803 emission lines. Our aim is to use these lines for the magnesium abundance determination. The MgII emission was detected in ~2/3 of the galaxies. We find that the MgII 2797 emission-line intensity follows a trend with the excitation parameter x= O^{2+}/O that is similar to that predicted by CLOUDY photoionised HII region models, suggesting a nebular origin of MgII emission. The Mg/O abundance ratio is lower by a factor ~2 than the solar ratio. This is probably the combined effect of interstellar MgII absorption and depletion of Mg onto dust. However, the effect of dust depletion in selected galaxies, if present, is small, by a factor of ~2 lower than that of iron.

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arXiv2012

Hunting for extremely metal-poor emission-line galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: MMT and 3.5m APO observations

We present 6.5-meter MMT and 3.5m APO spectrophotometry of 69 H II regions in 42 low-metallicity emission-line galaxies, selected from the Data Release 7 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to have mostly [O III]4959/Hbeta < 1 and [N II]6583/Hbeta < 0.1. The electron temperature-sensitive emission line [O III] 4363 is detected in 53 H II regions allowing a direct abundance determination. The oxygen abundance in the remaining 16 H II regions is derived using a semi-empirical method. The oxygen abundance of the galaxies in our sample ranges from 12 + log O/H ~ 7.1 to ~ 7.9, with 14 H II regions in 7 galaxies with 12 +log O/H < 7.35. In 5 of the latter galaxies, the oxygen abundance is derived here for the first time. Including other known extremely metal-deficient emission-line galaxies from the literature, e.g. SBS 0335-052W, SBS 0335-052E and I Zw 18, we have compiled a sample of the 17 most metal-deficient (with 12 +log O/H < 7.35) emission-line galaxies known in the local universe. There appears to be a metallicity floor at 12 +log O/H ~ 6.9, suggesting that the matter from which dwarf emission-line galaxies formed was pre-enriched to that level by e.g. Population III stars.

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arXiv2012

VLT/X-shooter observations of blue compact galaxies Haro 11 and ESO 338-IG 004

(abridged) Strongly star-forming galaxies of subsolar metallicities are typical of the high-redshift universe. Here we therefore provide accurate data for two low-z analogs, the well-known low-metallicity emission-line galaxies Haro 11 and ESO 338-IG 004. On the basis of Very Large Telescope/X-shooter spectroscopic observations in the wavelength range 3000-24000Å, we use standard direct methods to derive physical conditions and element abundances. Furthermore, we use X-shooter data together with Spitzer observations in the mid-infrared range to attempt to find hidden star formation. We derive interstellar oxygen abundances of 12 + log O/H = 8.33+/-0.01, 8.10+/-0.04, and 7.89+/-0.01 in the two HII regions B and C of Haro 11 and in ESO 338-IG 004, respectively. The observed fluxes of the hydrogen lines correspond to the theoretical recombination values after correction for extinction with a single value of the extinction coefficient C(Hbeta) across the entire wavelength range from the near-ultraviolet to the NIR and mid-infrared for each of the studied HII regions. Therefore there are no emission-line regions contributing to the line emission in the NIR range, which are hidden in the optical range. The agreement between the extinction-corrected and CLOUDY-predicted fluxes implies that a HII region model including only stellar photoionisation is able to account for the observed fluxes, in both the optical and NIR ranges. All observed spectral energy distributions (SEDs) can be reproduced quite well across the whole wavelength range by model SEDs except for Haro 11B, where there is a continuum flux excess at wavelengths >1.6mum. It is possible that one or more red supergiant stars are responsible for the NIR flux excess in Haro 11B. We find evidence of a luminous blue variable (LBV) star in Haro 11C.

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arXiv2011

Star-forming galaxies with hot dust emission in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey discovered by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE)

We present the results of a search for Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) emission-line galaxies with very red 3.4mum - 4.6mum (W1-W2) colours in the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) Preliminary Release Source Catalogue (PRSC) aiming to find objects with hot dust emission. For this purpose we considered a sample of ~16000 galaxies with strong emission lines selected out of a total of ~900000 SDSS spectra and identified them with the PRSC sources. We find that ~5000 sources out of the ~16000 SDSS galaxies are present in the PRSC, including ~1000 galaxies with sufficiently strong [OIII]4363 emission lines to permit reliable determinations of the oxygen abundance. No correlation of W1-W2 with metallicity is found. On the other hand, there is clear evidence for a redder W1-W2 index in galaxies with higher Hbeta luminosity and higher Hbeta equivalent width, implying that strong UV radiation from young starbursts efficiently heats interstellar dust to high temperatures. However, galaxies with very red colours W1-W2>2 mag, similar to that in the local extreme star-forming galaxy SBS 0335-052E, are very rare. In addition to three previously known sources, which are not present in our sample, we found only four such galaxies.

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arXiv2011

VLT spectroscopy of low-metallicity emission-line galaxies: abundance patterns and abundance discrepancies

(abridged) We present deep spectroscopy of a large sample of low-metallicity emission-line galaxies. The main goal of this study is to derive element abundances in these low-metallicity galaxies. We analyze 121 VLT spectra of HII regions in 46 low-metallicity emission-line galaxies. 83 of these spectra are archival VLT/FORS1+UVES spectra of HII regions in 31 low-metallicity emission-line galaxies that are studied for the first time with standard direct methods to determine the electron temperatures, the electron number densities, and the chemical abundances. The oxygen abundance of the sample lies in the range 12 + log O/H = 7.2-8.4. The Ne/O ratio increases with increasing oxygen abundance. The Fe/O ratio decreases from roughly solar at the lowest metallicities to about one tenth of solar, indicating that the degree of depletion of iron into dust grains depends on metallicity. The N/O ratio in extremely low-metallicity galaxies with 12+logO/H<7.5 shows a slight increase with decreasing oxygen abundance. We present the first empirical relation between the electron temperature derived from [SIII]6312/9069 or [NII]5755/6583 and the one derived from [OIII]4363/(4959+5007) in low-metallicity galaxies. In a number of objects, the abundances of C^++ and O^++ could be derived from recombination lines. Our study confirms the discrepancy between abundances found from recombination lines (RLs) and collisionally excited lines (CELs) and that C/O increases with O/H.

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arXiv2011

A nearby GRB host galaxy: VLT/X-shooter observations of HG 031203

(abridged) Long-duration gamma-ray bursts (LGRBs) occur in galaxies of generally low metallicity. We aim at a spectroscopic analysis of HG 031203, the host galaxy of a LRGB burst, to obtain its properties. Based on VLT/X-shooter spectroscopic observations in the wavelength range 3200-24000A, we use standard direct methods to evaluate physical conditions and element abundances. The resolving power of the instrument also allowed us to trace the kinematics of the ionised gas. We derive an interstellar oxygen abundance of 12+logO/H=8.20+/-0.03. The observed fluxes of hydrogen lines correspond to the theoretical recombination values after correction for extinction with a single value C(Hbeta)=1.67. We produce the CLOUDY photoionisation HII region model that reproduces observed emission-line fluxes of different ions in the optical range. This model also predicts emission-line fluxes in the near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) ranges that agree well with the observed ones. This implies that the star-forming region observed in the optical range is the only source of ionisation and there is no additional source of ionisation seen in the NIR and MIR ranges that is hidden in the optical range.We find that the heavy element abundances, Halpha luminosity, stellar mass, star-formation rate and specific star-formation rate of HG 031203 are in the range that is covered by the luminous compact galaxies (LCGs).This implies that the LCGs with extreme star-formation that also comprise green pea galaxies as a subclass may harbour LGRBs.

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arXiv2011

VLT/X-shooter observations of the low-metallicity blue compact dwarf galaxy PHL 293B including a luminous blue variable star

(abridged) We present VLT/X-shooter spectroscopic observations in the wavelength range 3000-23000A of the extremely metal-deficient blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxy PHL 293B containing a luminous blue variable (LBV) star. We determine abundances of N, O, Ne, S, Ar, and Fe and study the properties of the LBV from the fluxes and widths of broad emission lines. We derive an interstellar oxygen abundance of 12+log O/H = 7.71+/-0.02, which is in agreement with previous determinations. The observed fluxes of narrow Balmer, Paschen and Brackett hydrogen lines correspond to the theoretical recombination values after correction for extinction with a single value C(Hbeta) = 0.225. This implies that the star-forming region observed in the optical range is the only source of ionisation and there is no additional source of ionisation that is seen in the NIR range but is hidden in the optical range. For the LBV star in PHL 293B we find broad emission with P Cygni profiles in several Balmer hydrogen emission lines and for the first time in several Paschen hydrogen lines and in several HeI emission lines, implying temporal evolution of the LBV on a time scale of 8 years. The Halpha luminosity of the LBV star is by one order of magnitude higher than the one obtained for the LBV star in NGC 2363=Mrk 71 which has a slightly higher metallicity 12+logO/H = 7.87. The terminal velocity of the stellar wind in the low-metallicity LBV of PHL293B is high, ~800 km/s, and is comparable to that seen in spectra of some extragalactic LBVs during outbursts. We find that the averaged terminal velocities derived from the Paschen and HeI emission lines are by some ~40-60 km/s lower than those derived from the Balmer emission lines. This probably indicates the presence of the wind accelerating outward.

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arXiv2010

Green Pea Galaxies and cohorts: Luminous Compact Emission-Line Galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

We present a large sample of 803 star-forming luminous compact galaxies (LCGs) in the redshift range z = 0.02-0.63, selected from Data Release 7 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The global properties of these galaxies are similar to those of the so-called "green pea" star-forming galaxies, in the redshift range z=0.112-0.360 and selected from the SDSS on the basis of their green color and compact structure. In contrast to green pea galaxies, our LCGs are selected on the basis of both their spectroscopic and photometric properties, resulting in a ~10 times larger sample, with galaxies spanning a redshift range >2 times larger. We find that the oxygen abundances and the heavy element abundance ratios in LCGs do not differ from those of nearby low-metallicity blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxies. The median stellar mass of LCGs is ~1e9 Msun. However, for galaxies with high EW(Hbeta), >100A, it is only ~7x1e8 Msun. The star formation rate in LCGs varies in the large range of 0.7-60 Msun yr^{-1}, with a median value of ~4 Msun yr^{-1}, a factor of ~3 lower than in high-redshift star-forming galaxies at z>3. The specific star formation rates in LCGs are extremely high and vary in the range ~1e-9 - 1e-7 yr^{-1}, comparable to those derived in high-redshift galaxies.

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arXiv2010

Tol 2240-384 - a new low-metallicity AGN candidate

Active galactic nuclei (AGNs) have typically been discovered in massive galaxies of high metallicity. We attempt to increase the number of AGN candidates in low metallicity galaxies. We present VLT/UVES and archival VLT/FORS1 spectroscopic and NTT/SUSI2 photometric observations of the low-metallicity emission-line galaxy Tol 2240-384 and perform a detailed study of its morphology, chemical composition, and emission-line profiles. We determine abundances of nitrogen, O, Ne, S, Cl, Ar, and Fe by analyzing the fluxes of narrow components of the emission lines using empirical methods. We verify with a photoionisation model that the physics of the narrow-line component gas is similar to that in common metal-poor galaxies. Image deconvolution reveals two high-surface brightness regions in Tol 2240-384 separated by 2.4 kpc.The brightest southwestern region is surrounded by intense ionised gas emission on a spatial scale of ~5 kpc. The profiles of the strong emission lines in the UVES spectrum are asymmetric and all these lines apart from Halpha and Hbeta can be fitted by two Gaussians of FWHM ~75-92 km/s separated by ~80 km/s implying that there are two regions of ionised gas emitting narrow lines. The shapes of the Halpha and Hbeta lines are more complex. In particular, the Halpha emission line consists of two broad components of FWHM ~700 km/s and 2300 km/s, in addition to narrow components of two regions revealed from profiles of other lines. The extraordinarily high luminosity of the broad Halpha line of 3x10e41 erg/s cannot be accounted for by massive stars at different stages of their evolution. The broad Halpha emission persists over a period of 7 years, which excludes supernovae as a powering mechanism of this emission. This emission most likely arises from an accretion disc around a black hole of mass ~10e7 Msun.

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arXiv2009

An investigation of the luminosity-metallicity relation for a large sample of low-metallicity emission-line galaxies

(abridged) We present 8.2m VLT spectroscopic observations of 28 HII regions in 16 emission-line galaxies and 3.6m ESO telescope spectroscopic observations of 38 HII regions in 28 emission-line galaxies. These emission-line galaxies were selected mainly from the Data Release 6 (DR6) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) as metal-deficient galaxy candidates. We collect photometric and high-quality spectroscopic data for a large uniform sample of star forming galaxies including new observations. Our aim is to study the luminosity-metallicity (L-Z) relation for nearby galaxies, especially at its low-metallicity end and compare it with that for higher-redshift galaxies. From our new observations we find that the oxygen abundance in 61 out of the 66 HII regions of our sample ranges from 12+logO/H=7.05 to 8.22. Our sample includes 27 new galaxies with 12+logO/H<7.6 which qualify as extremely metal-poor star-forming galaxies (XBCDs). Among them are 10 HII regions with 12+logO/H<7.3. The new sample is combined with a further 93 low-metallicity galaxies with accurate oxygen abundance determinations from our previous studies, yielding in total a high-quality spectroscopic data set of 154 HII regions. 9000 more galaxies with oxygen abundances, based mainly on the Te-method, are compiled from the SDSS. Our data set spans a range of 8 mag with respect to its absolute magnitude in SDSS g (-12>Mg>-20) and nearly 2 dex in its oxygen abundance (7.0<12+logO/H<8.8), allowing us to probe the L-Z relation in the nearby universe down to the lowest currently studied metallicity level. The L-Z relation established on the basis of the present sample is consistent with previous ones obtained for emission-line galaxies.

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arXiv2009

SBS 0335-052E+W: deep VLT/FORS+UVES spectroscopy of the pair of the lowest-metallicity blue compact dwarf galaxies

(abridged) We present deep archival VLT/FORS1+UVES spectroscopic observations of the system of two blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxies SBS 0335-052E and SBS 0335-052W. Our aim is to derive element abundances in different HII regions of this unique system of galaxies and to study spatial abundance variations. We determine abundances of helium, nitrogen, oxygen, neon, sulfur, chlorine, argon and iron. The oxygen abundance in the brighter eastern galaxy varies in the range 7.11 to 7.32 in different HII regions supporting previous findings and suggesting the presence of oxygen abundance variations on spatial scales of ~1-2 kpc. The oxygen abundance in the brightest region No.1 of SBS 0335-052W is 7.22+/-0.07, consistent with previous determinations.Three other HII regions are much more metal-poor with an unprecedently low oxygen abundance of 12+logO/H=7.01+/-0.07 (region No.2), 6.98+/-0.06 (region No.3), and 6.86+/-0.14 (region No.4). These are the lowest oxygen abundances ever derived in emission-line galaxies. Helium abundances derived for the brightest HII regions of both galaxies are mutually consistent. We derive weighted mean He mass fractions of 0.2485+/-0.0012 and 0.2514+/-0.0012 for two different sets of HeI emissivities. The N/O abundance ratio in both galaxies is slightly higher than that derived for other BCDs with 12+logO/H<7.6. This implies that the N/O in extremely metal-deficient galaxies could increase with decreasing metallicity.

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arXiv2008

Extremely metal-poor star-forming galaxies. New detections and general morphological and photometric properties

(abridged) We present long-slit spectroscopy with the 3.6m ESO telescope of eight HII regions in seven star-forming (SF) dwarf galaxies, discovered in SDSS DR4 and 6dFGRS. In addition, we use SDSS imaging data to study the photometric structure of the sample galaxies. From the 3.6m telescope spectra, we determine the oxygen abundance of these systems to be 7.3<12+log(O/H)<7.6, placing them among the most metal-poor SF galaxies ever discovered. Our photometric analysis reveals a moderately blue, stellar host galaxy in all sample galaxies. The detection of a stellar host in all galaxies studied here and all previously studied extremely metal-deficient SF galaxies implies that they are unlikely to be forming their first generation of stars. With regard to the structural properties of their host galaxy, we demonstrate that these systems are indistinguishable from blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxies. However, in contrast to the majority (>90%) of BCDs that are characterised by red elliptical host galaxies, extremely metal-poor SF dwarfs (hereafter XBCDs) reveal moderately blue and irregular hosts. This is consistent with a young evolutionary status and in the framework of standard star formation histories implies that several XBCDs formed most of their stellar mass in the past 2 Gyr. A large fraction of XBCDs reveal a cometary morphology due to the presence of intense SF activity at one edge of an elongated host galaxy with a gradually decreasing surface brightness towards its antipodal end.

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arXiv2007

Broad Line Emission in Low-Metallicity Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies: Evidence for Stellar Wind, Supernova and Possible AGN Activity

We present spectra of a large sample of low-metallicity blue compact dwarf galaxies which exhibit broad components in their strong emission lines, mainly in Hbeta, [O III]4959, 5007 and Halpha. Twenty-three spectra have been obtained with the MMT, 14 of which show broad emission. The remaining 21 spectra with broad emission have been selected from the Data Release 5 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The most plausible origin of broad line emission is the evolution of massive stars and their interaction with the circumstellar and interstellar medium. The broad emission with the lowest H$α$ luminosities (10^36 - 10^39 erg/s) is likely produced in circumstellar envelopes around hot Ofp/WN9 and/or LBV stars. The broad emission with the highest Halpha luminosities (10^40 - 10^42 erg/s) probably arises from type IIp or type IIn supernovae (SNe). It can also come from active galactic nuclei (AGN) containing intermediate-mass black holes, although we find no strong evidence for hard non-thermal radiation in our sample galaxies. The oxygen abundance in the host galaxies with SN candidates is low and varies in the range 12 + log O/H = 7.36 - 8.31. However, type IIn SN / AGN candidates are found only in galaxies with 12 + log O/H < 7.99. Spectroscopic monitoring of these type IIn SN / AGN candidates over a time scale of several years is necessary to distinguish between the two possibilities.

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arXiv2007

Balmer jump temperature determination in a large sample of low-metallicity H II regions

Aims. Continuing the systematic determination of the electron temperature of H II regions using the Balmer and/or Paschen discontinuities by Guseva et al. (2006) we focus here on 3.6m ESO telescope observations of a large new sample of 69 H II regions in 45 blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxies. This data set spans a wide range in metallicity (Zsun/60 11000 K) H II regions the temperature of the O2+ zone, determined from doubly ionised oxygen forbidden lines, does not differ statistically from the temperature of the H+ zone. Thus, we confirm and strengthen the finding by Guseva et al. (2006). We emphasize that due to a number of modelling assumptions and the observational uncertainties for individual objects, only a large, homogeneous sample, as the one used here, can enable a conclusive study of the relation between Te(H+) and Te(O III).

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arXiv2006

New southern blue compact dwarf galaxies in the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey

Aiming to find new extremely metal-deficient star-forming galaxies we extracted from the Two-Degree Field Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS) 100K Data Release 14 emission-line galaxies with relatively strong [OIII] 4363 emission. Spectroscopic and photometric studies of this sample and, in addition, of 7 Tololo and 2 UM galaxies were performed on the basis of observations with the ESO 3.6m telescope. All sample galaxies qualify with respect to their photometric and spectroscopic properties as blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxies. Additionally, they show a good overlap with a comparison sample of 100 well-studied emission-line galaxies on the 12+log(O/H) vs. log(Ne/O), log(Ar/O) and log(Fe/O) planes. From the analysis of the 2dFGRS subsample we report the discovery of two new extremely metal-deficient BCDs with an oxygen abundance 12+log(O/H) < 7.6 and of another seven galaxies with 12+log(O/H) < 7.8. Furthermore, we confirm previous oxygen abundance determinations for the BCDs Tol 1304-353, Tol 2146-391, UM 559 and UM 570 to be 12+log(O/H) < 7.8.

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arXiv2006

Oxygen abundance variations in the system of the two blue compact dwarf galaxies SBS 0335-052E and SBS 0335-052W

We present 3.6m ESO telescope spectroscopic observations of the system of the two blue compact dwarf galaxies SBS 0335-052W and SBS 0335-052E. The oxygen abundance in SBS 0335-052W is 12 + log O/H = 7.13 +/- 0.08, confirming that this galaxy is the most metal-deficient emission-line galaxy known. We find that the oxygen abundance in SBS 0335-052E varies from region to region in the range from 7.20 to 7.31, suggesting the presence of an abundance gradient over a spatial scale of 1 kpc. Signatures of early carbon-type Wolf-Rayet stars are detected in cluster 3 of SBS 0335-052E, corresponding to the emission of three to eighteen WC4 stars, depending on the adopted luminosity of a single WC4 star in the CIV 4658 emission line.

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