<i>WISE</i> DISCOVERY OF LOW-METALLICITY BLUE COMPACT DWARF GALAXIES

Roger L. Griffith, Chao‐Wei Tsai, Daniel Stern, A. W. Blain, Peter Eisenhardt, Fiona A. Harrison, T. H. Jarrett, Kristin K. Madsen, S. A. Stanford, E. L. Wright

Abstract

We report two new low-metallicity blue compact dwarf galaxies (BCDs), WISEP J080103.93+264053.9 (hereafter W0801+26) and WISEP J170233.53+180306.4 (hereafter W1702+18), discovered using the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). We identified these two BCDs from their extremely red colors at mid-infrared wavelengths and obtained follow-up optical spectroscopy using the Low Resolution Imaging Spectrometer on Keck I. The mid-infrared properties of these two sources are similar to the well-studied, extremely low metallicity galaxy SBS 0335-052E. We determine metallicities of 12 + log (O/H) = 7.75 and 7.63 for W0801+26 and W1702+18, respectively, placing them among a very small group of very metal deficient galaxies (Z ⩽ 1/10 Z☉). Their >300 Å Hβ equivalent widths, similar to SBS 0335-052E, imply the existence of young (<5 Myr) star-forming regions. We measure star formation rates of 2.6 and 10.9 M☉ yr−1 for W0801+26 and W1702+18, respectively. These BCDs, showing recent star formation activity in extremely low metallicity environments, provide new laboratories for studying star formation in extreme conditions and are low-redshift analogs of the first generation of galaxies to form in the universe. Using the all-sky WISE survey, we discuss a new method to identify similar star-forming, low-metallicity BCDs.

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• The Astrophysical Journal Letters - View - PDF
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