Eliminating error in the chemical abundance scale for extragalactic Hii regions

Á R. López-Sánchez*, M. A. Dopita, L. J. Kewley, H. J. Zahid, D. C. Nicholls, J. Scharwächter

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    156 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    In an attempt to remove the systematic errors which have plagued the calibration of the Hii region abundance sequence, we have theoretically modelled the extragalactic Hii region sequence. We then used the theoretical spectra so generated in a double-blind experiment to recover the chemical abundances using both the classical electron temperature + ionization correction factor technique and the technique which depends on the use of strong emission lines (SELs) in the nebular spectrum to estimate the abundance of oxygen. We find a number of systematic trends, and we provide correction formulae which should remove systematic errors in the electron temperature + ionization correction factor technique. We also provide a critical evaluation of the various semi-empirical SEL techniques. Finally, we offer a scheme which should help to eliminate systematic errors in the SEL-derived chemical abundance scale for extragalactic Hii regions.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)2630-2651
    Number of pages22
    JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
    Volume426
    Issue number4
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 11 Nov 2012

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