Effects of a {kappa}-distribution in HII regions

Here, we have collected together new atomic data within a modified photoionization code to explore the effects of both the new atomic data and the {kappa}-distribution on the strong-line techniques used to determine chemical abundances in H II regions.

By comparing the recombination temperatures (T_rec_) with the forbidden line temperatures (T_FL_), we conclude that {kappa}~20. While representing only a mild deviation from equilibrium, this result is sufficient to strongly influence abundances determined using methods that depend on measurements of the electron temperature from forbidden lines. We present a number of new emission line ratio diagnostics that cleanly separate the two parameters determining the optical spectrum of H II regions--the ionization parameter q or {} and the chemical abundance, 12+log(O/H).