Context : Recent works with improved model atmospheres , line formation , atomic and molecular data , and detailed treatment of blends , have resulted in a significant downward revision of the solar oxygen abundance .

Aims : Considering the importance of the Sun as an astrophysical standard and the current conflict of standard solar models using the new solar abundances with helioseismological observations we have performed a new study of the solar oxygen abundance based on the forbidden [ O i ] line at 5577.34 Å , not previously considered .

Methods : High-resolution ( R > 500 000 ) , high signal-to-noise ( S/N > 1000 ) solar spectra of the [ O i ] 5577.34 Å line have been analyzed employing both three-dimensional ( 3D ) and a variety of 1D ( spatially and temporally averaged 3D , Holweger & Müller , MARCS and Kurucz models with and without convective overshooting ) model atmospheres .

Results : The oxygen abundance obtained from the [ O i ] 5577.3 Å forbidden line is almost insensitive to the input model atmosphere and has a mean value of \log \epsilon _ { O } = 8.71 \pm 0.02 ( \sigma from using the different model atmospheres ) .
The total error ( 0.07 dex ) is dominated by uncertainties in the log gf value ( 0.03 dex ) , apparent line variation ( 0.04 dex ) and uncertainties in the continuum and line positions ( 0.05 dex ) .

Conclusions : The here derived oxygen abundance is close to the 3D-based estimates from the two other [ O i ] lines at 6300 and 6363 Å , the permitted O i lines and vibrational and rotational OH transitions in the infrared .
Our study thus supports a low solar oxygen abundance ( \log \epsilon _ { O } \approx 8.7 ) , independent of the adopted model atmosphere .