HII-CHI-mistry optical

DESCRIPTION

HII-CHI-mistry is a python program that calculates, for gaseous nebulae ionized by different sources of ionization, including massive stars and active galactic nuclei, the oxygen abundance in terms of 12+log(O/H), the nitrogen-to-oxygen ratio as log(N/O) and the ionisation parameter as log U, consistently with the direct method. This is done from the bayesian-like comparison between large grids of photoionization models and observed optical emission-line intensities. The methodology and the results are described in Pérez-Montero (2014, MNRAS, 441, 2663). The description and discussion of the code for its applicability in AGNs can be found in Pérez-montero et al (2019) and for Extreme Emission-Line Galaxies in Pérez-Montero et al (2021).

MOST RECENT VERSION

The most recent version for HII-CHI-mistry in the optical is version 5.5. The link leads to a compressed tar.gz file containing the python file of the code, the libraries of the models and a file with instructions. Previous versions of the program can be obtained in the History and Downloads section and they can also be found in GitHub.

How to run it

HII-CHI-mistry has been originally written in python v. 2.7, but from version 5 is only compatible with python 3. It requires the library numpy (versions previous to v2.0 use the library asciidata).

The program also requires the files of the emission line intensities predicted by the models, calculated assuming different sets of input conditions. All were calculated with Cloudy v.17. These libraries are stored in the folder Library_opt and include models for star-forming galaxies using spectral energy distributions from POPSTAR and from BPASS v.2.1.

For the NLR in AGNs, the libraries include results from models calculated using a double composite power-law with parameter alpha(UV) = -1.0 and for different possible values of alpha(OX) from -0.8 to -2.0.

Finally, the code also considers models calculated for post-AGB for effective temperatures = 5, 10, and 15e4 K from Rauch et al (2003), and models simulating advected-dominated flows (ADAFs, Nemmen et al. 2014). From version 5.2 the codee also admits grids of models defined by the user.

OH vs U relation OH vs NO relation

The code also requires files to constrain the model grids when a limited set of emission-lines are given as input. These are stored in the folder Constrains and can also be edited by the user. These files represent the set of models, limiting the values of log U at each Z (left picture), and limiting also the values of N/O, respectively (right picture).

To run the program, just type (for v5.5, in other versions use the name of the corresponding python script:
python HCm_v5.5.py
Once the input file has been specified in the prompt or by direct question, the code will ask about what SED of models is going to be used:
(1) Young POPSTAR massive cluster
(2) BPASS cluster models atmospheres with binaries
(3) double composite power-law AGN.
(4) pAGB NLTE models (Rauch 2003)
(5) Advected-dominated Accretion Flow for AGN (ADAF, Nemmen et al. 2014)
If AGN is selected, the code will also ask for the value of alpha(OX). considered in the models, while Teff while be prompted is Rauch models are selected. The code will also prompt for the stopping criterio of the models in these cases. Later, once selected the model SED, the program will ask for the template files used to constrain the models and for the possible use of a interpolated high-resolution grid (0: non-interpolated or 1: interpolated). This will increase the resolution of the grid in O/H, N/O and log U in a factor 10, but it will slow down the calculation. The code can also run in non-interactive mode, if the corresponding variable 'interactive' is set to 'False' in the script.

The input file

It is a separated file written in text format with the information organised as a table whose first row contains the labels for the different columns, corresponding to the identification of each row and the emission line fluxes and their errors. The table can contain columns for other quantities, but the code will only read the following labels:

ID for the identification name of the row
OII_3727 and eOII_3727 for [OII] 3727/Hß and its error
NeIII_3868 and eNeIII_3868 for [NeIII] 3869/Hß and its error
OIII_4363 and eOIII_4363 for [OIII] 4363/Hß and its error
OIII_4959 and eOIII_4959 for [OIII] 4959/Hß and its error
OIII_5007 and eOIII_5007 for [OIII] 5007/Hß and its error. It is possible to give only one of the two strong [OIII] nebular lines.
NII_5755 and eNII_5755 for [NII] 5755/Hß and its error
SIII_6312 and eSIII_6312 for [SIII] 6312/Hß and its error
NII_6584 and eNII_6584 for [NII] 6584/Hß and its error
SII_6725 and eSII_6725 for [SII] 6717+6731/Hß and its error. Alternatively, it is possible to give the two [sii] lines individually, but the two are required.
OII_7325 and eOII_7325 for [OII] 7319+7330/Hß and its error
SIII_9069 and eSIII_9069 for [SIII] 9069/Hß and its error
SIII_9532 and eSIII_9532 for [SIII] 9532/Hß and its error

all the emission line fluxes must be given reddening corrected. If no information can be given about a certain line or its error it can be typed as zero.

Results

If the input file is correct, the program will ask for the chosen SED and the use of interpolations and it will begin to calculate the wanted quantities and their corresponding errors.
The information will be displayed on the screen for each object, along with the ratio of completeness of the task. It will be also added an index indicating if a specific constrain has been used, where

1: the complete grid is used only if a nebular-to-auroral emission-line ratio is given, e.g. [OIII] 5007/4363 > 0)
2: the log U limited grid is used (when [no nebular-to-auroral emission-line ratio is given (e.g. [OIII] 5007,4959/4363, [SIII] 9069,9532/6312, [NII] 6584/5755, or [OII] 3727/7325 )
3: the log U and N/O limited grid is used (if, besides, [NII]/[OII], [NII]/[OIII] or [NII]/[SII] cannot be obtained).

At the end, the program will create a file called using the name of the input file + "_hcm-output.dat with the information of the used models, the identification of each row, the input emission line fluxes and their errors, and seven columns with the solutions corresponding to the following information:

grid index
12+log(O/H)
error of 12+log(O/H)
log(N/O) (-10 if grid 3 is used)
error of log(N/O)
log U
error of log(U) (take with care if constrains 2 or 3 are used)


For any of these quantities, a value 9999 will be included in case the code finds any error in the calculation.

History and Downloads

Here we list the different versions of the program with links to download them.