Properties of a gamma-ray burst host galaxy AT z ∼ 5

P. A. Price; A. Songaila; L. L. Cowie; J. Bell Burnell; E. Berger; A. Cucchiara; D. B. Fox; I. Hook; S. R. Kulkarni; B. Penprase; K. C. Roth; B. Schmidt

doi:10.1086/520047

Properties of a gamma-ray burst host galaxy AT z ∼ 5

P. A. Price^*, A. Songaila, L. L. Cowie, J. Bell Burnell, E. Berger, A. Cucchiara, D. B. Fox, I. Hook, S. R. Kulkarni, B. Penprase, K. C. Roth, B. Schmidt

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

We describe the properties of the host galaxy of the gamma-ray burst GRB 060510B based on a spectrum of the burst afterglow obtained with the Gemini North 8 m telescope. The galaxy lies at a redshift of z = 4.941, making it the fourth highest spectroscopically identified burst host. However, it is the second highest redshift galaxy for which the quality of the spectrum permits a detailed metallicity analysis. The neutral hydrogen column density has a logarithmic value of 21.0-21.2 cm^-2, and the weak metal lines of Ni, S, and Fe show that the metallicity is in excess of a tenth of solar, which is far above the metallicities in damped Lya absorbers at high redshift. The tightest constraint is from the Fe lines, which place [Fe/H] in excess of -0.8. We argue that the results suggest that metallicity bias could be a serious obstacle to inferring star formation from the GRB population, and we consider how future higher quality measurements could be used to resolve this issue.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	L57-L60
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	663
Issue number	2 II
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/520047
Publication status	Published - 10 Jul 2007

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@article{a177445f2a184db4804c4044cf99c7c4,

title = "Properties of a gamma-ray burst host galaxy AT z ∼ 5",

abstract = "We describe the properties of the host galaxy of the gamma-ray burst GRB 060510B based on a spectrum of the burst afterglow obtained with the Gemini North 8 m telescope. The galaxy lies at a redshift of z = 4.941, making it the fourth highest spectroscopically identified burst host. However, it is the second highest redshift galaxy for which the quality of the spectrum permits a detailed metallicity analysis. The neutral hydrogen column density has a logarithmic value of 21.0-21.2 cm-2, and the weak metal lines of Ni, S, and Fe show that the metallicity is in excess of a tenth of solar, which is far above the metallicities in damped Lya absorbers at high redshift. The tightest constraint is from the Fe lines, which place [Fe/H] in excess of -0.8. We argue that the results suggest that metallicity bias could be a serious obstacle to inferring star formation from the GRB population, and we consider how future higher quality measurements could be used to resolve this issue.",

keywords = "Cosmology: observations, Galaxies: abundances, Galaxies: distances and redshifts galaxies: evolution, Gamma rays: bursts",

author = "Price, {P. A.} and A. Songaila and Cowie, {L. L.} and {Bell Burnell}, J. and E. Berger and A. Cucchiara and Fox, {D. B.} and I. Hook and Kulkarni, {S. R.} and B. Penprase and Roth, {K. C.} and B. Schmidt",

year = "2007",

month = jul,

day = "10",

doi = "10.1086/520047",

language = "English",

volume = "663",

pages = "L57--L60",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

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T1 - Properties of a gamma-ray burst host galaxy AT z ∼ 5

AU - Price, P. A.

AU - Songaila, A.

AU - Cowie, L. L.

AU - Bell Burnell, J.

AU - Berger, E.

AU - Cucchiara, A.

AU - Fox, D. B.

AU - Hook, I.

AU - Kulkarni, S. R.

AU - Penprase, B.

AU - Roth, K. C.

AU - Schmidt, B.

PY - 2007/7/10

Y1 - 2007/7/10

N2 - We describe the properties of the host galaxy of the gamma-ray burst GRB 060510B based on a spectrum of the burst afterglow obtained with the Gemini North 8 m telescope. The galaxy lies at a redshift of z = 4.941, making it the fourth highest spectroscopically identified burst host. However, it is the second highest redshift galaxy for which the quality of the spectrum permits a detailed metallicity analysis. The neutral hydrogen column density has a logarithmic value of 21.0-21.2 cm-2, and the weak metal lines of Ni, S, and Fe show that the metallicity is in excess of a tenth of solar, which is far above the metallicities in damped Lya absorbers at high redshift. The tightest constraint is from the Fe lines, which place [Fe/H] in excess of -0.8. We argue that the results suggest that metallicity bias could be a serious obstacle to inferring star formation from the GRB population, and we consider how future higher quality measurements could be used to resolve this issue.

AB - We describe the properties of the host galaxy of the gamma-ray burst GRB 060510B based on a spectrum of the burst afterglow obtained with the Gemini North 8 m telescope. The galaxy lies at a redshift of z = 4.941, making it the fourth highest spectroscopically identified burst host. However, it is the second highest redshift galaxy for which the quality of the spectrum permits a detailed metallicity analysis. The neutral hydrogen column density has a logarithmic value of 21.0-21.2 cm-2, and the weak metal lines of Ni, S, and Fe show that the metallicity is in excess of a tenth of solar, which is far above the metallicities in damped Lya absorbers at high redshift. The tightest constraint is from the Fe lines, which place [Fe/H] in excess of -0.8. We argue that the results suggest that metallicity bias could be a serious obstacle to inferring star formation from the GRB population, and we consider how future higher quality measurements could be used to resolve this issue.

KW - Cosmology: observations

KW - Galaxies: abundances

KW - Galaxies: distances and redshifts galaxies: evolution

KW - Gamma rays: bursts

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U2 - 10.1086/520047

DO - 10.1086/520047

M3 - Article

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 663

SP - L57-L60

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 2 II

ER -

Properties of a gamma-ray burst host galaxy AT z ∼ 5

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