On the electron temperature determination in high-metallicity H II regions

Abstract

The problem of determination of the electron temperature t2 in the O zone of high-metallicity H II regions is examined. It is shown that the ratio of nebular to nebural nitrogen line intensities, which is an indicator of the electron temperature t2, can be expressed in terms of the nebular line intensities of oxygen. This solves the problem of the determination of the electron temperature t2, since the oxygen nebular lines are strong and, consequently, are readily observable. A relation between electron temperatures in the O- and O+- zones in high-metallicity H II regions is studied. It is found that there is no one-to-one correspondence between t2 and t3 temperatures. Instead the t 2-t3 relation is dependent on the excitation parameter. © 2007 RAS.