A comparative analysis of empirical calibrators for nebular metallicity

We present a new analysis of the main empirical calibrators of oxygen abundance for ionized gas nebulae. With that aim we have compiled an extensive sample of objects with emission-line data including the near-infrared [S  iii ] lines and the weak auroral lines which allow for the determination of the gas electron temperature. For all the objects the oxygen abundances have been derived in a homogenous way, using the most recent sets of atomic coefficients and taking into the account the effect of particle density on the temperature of O⁺. The residuals between directly and empirically derived abundances as a function of abundance have been studied. A grid of photoionization models, covering the range of physical properties of the gas, has been used to explain the origin of the uncertainties affecting each abundance calibrator. The range of validity for each abundance parameter has been identified and its average uncertainty has been quantified.