TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reported that GRB 090423 lies at a redshift of z approximate to 8.2, implying that massive stars were being produced and dying as GRBs similar to 630 Myr after the Big Bang.
Abstract: Long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are thought to result from the explosions of certain massive stars(1), and some are bright enough that they should be observable out to redshifts of z > 20 using current technology(2-4). Hitherto, the highest redshift measured for any object was z = 6.96, for a Lyman-alpha emitting galaxy(5). Here we report that GRB 090423 lies at a redshift of z approximate to 8.2, implying that massive stars were being produced and dying as GRBs similar to 630 Myr after the Big Bang. The burst also pinpoints the location of its host galaxy.
Hitherto, the highest redshift measured for any object was z 5 6.96, for a Lyman-a emitting galaxy5.
The full grizYJHK spectral energy distribution (SED) obtained ,17 h after burst gives a photometric redshift of z 5 8:06z0:21{0:28, assuming a simple intergalactic medium (IGM) absorption model.
21CRESST and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA.
Finding such events is not an unreasonable hope: the most extreme GRBs have had afterglows that were intrinsically significantly brighter than that of GRB 090423 at the same rest-frame time3,4, and their first spectra were recorded more than 15 h after the burst.
The infrared light curve was obtained using UKIRT, Gemini North, the MPI/ESO 2.2-m telescope and the VLT.
Error bars are 1s (68% confidence level) and the absolute magnitude scale corresponds to absolute AB magnitudes at 0.136mm.
Probing the neutral fraction of the IGM with GRBs during the epoch of reionization.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors presented the temporal and spectral analysis of the prompt emission of two high-redshift gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), 120521C at $z\sim6$ and 130606A at $Z\sim5.91$, which were performed using the Swift-XRT/BAT and the Suzaku-WAM simultaneously.
Abstract: This study presents the temporal and spectral analysis of the prompt emission of two high-redshift gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), 120521C at $z\sim6$ and 130606A at $z\sim5.91$, which were performed using the Swift-XRT/BAT and the Suzaku-WAM simultaneously. Based on follow-up XRT observations, the longest durations of the prompt emissions were approximately $80$ s (120521C) and $360$ s (130606A) in the rest frame of each GRB, which are categorized as long-duration GRBs, but are insufficiently long compared with the predicted duration of GRBs that originate from first-generation stars. Because of the wide bandpass of the instruments covering the ranges of 15 keV--5 MeV (BAT-WAM) and 0.3 keV--5.0 MeV (XRT-BAT-WAM), we successfully determined the $
u F_{
u}$ peak energies $E_{\rm peak}^{\rm src}$ of $682^{+845}_{-207}$ keV and $1209^{+553}_{-304}$ keV in the rest frame, and the isotropic-equivalent radiated energies $E_{\rm iso}$ of $(8.25^{+2.24}_{-1.96})\times10^{52}$ erg and $(2.82^{+0.17}_{-0.71})\times10^{53}$ erg, respectively. These obtained characteristic parameters are in accordance with the well-known relation between $E_{\rm peak}^{\rm src}$ and $E_{\rm iso}$ (Amati relation). In addition, we examined the relations between $E_{\rm peak}^{\rm src}$ and the 1-s peak luminosity, $L_{\rm p}$, or the geometrical corrected radiated energy, $E_{\gamma}$, and confirmed the $E_{\rm peak}^{\rm src}$-$L_{\rm p}$ (Yonetoku) and $E_{\rm peak}^{\rm src}$-$E_{\gamma}$ (Ghirlanda) relations. The results implied that these high-redshift GRBs at $z\sim6$, expected as having radiated from the reionization epoch, have similar properties as that of X-ray prompt emission with low-redshift GRBs.
6 citations
Additional excerpts
...…Tagliaferri et al. 2005; Haislip et al. 2006; Kawai et al. 2006), 080913 (z = 6.70, Greiner et al. 2009), 090423 (z = 8.1, Salvaterra et al. 2009; Tanvir et al. 2009), 090429B (z ∼ 9.4, Cucchiara et al. 2011), 120521C (z ∼ 6, Tanvir et al. 2012; Laskar et al. 2014),130606A (z = 5.91, Chornock et…...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present the first spatially resolved study of molecular gas in the vicinity of a Gamma Ray Burst, using CO(2-1) emission line observations with the Atacama Large Millimetre Array (ALMA) at ~50 pc scales.
Abstract: We present the first spatially resolved study of molecular gas in the vicinity of a Gamma Ray Burst, using CO(2-1) emission line observations with the Atacama Large Millimetre Array (ALMA) at ~50 pc scales. The host galaxy of GRB 980425 contains a ring of high column density HI gas which is likely to have formed due to a collision between the GRB host and its companion galaxy, within which the GRB is located. We detect eleven molecular gas clumps in the galaxy, seven of which are within the gas ring. The clump closest to the GRB position is at a projected separation of ~280 pc. Although it is plausible that the GRB progenitor was ejected from clusters formed in this clump, we argue that the in situ formation of the GRB progenitor is the most likely scenario. We measure the molecular gas masses of the clumps and find them to be sufficient for forming massive star clusters. The molecular gas depletion times of the clumps show a variation of ~2 dex, comparable with the large variation in depletion times found in starburst galaxies in the nearby Universe. This demonstrates the presence of starburst modes of star formation on local scales in the galaxy, even while the galaxy as a whole cannot be categorised as a starburst based on its global properties. Our findings suggest that the progenitor of GRB 9802425 was originated in a young massive star cluster formed in the starburst mode of star formation.
6 citations
Cites background from "A γ-ray burst at a redshift of z ≈ ..."
...Long-duration Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) are amongst the brightest of these explosions, with powerful energy releases that make them detectable back to when the first stars and galaxies were
Corresponding author: Maryam Arabsalmani maryam.arabsalmani@icrar.org
∗
formed (z & 8, Tanvir et al. 2009)....
TL;DR: The GROND simultaneous 7-channel imager at the 2.2m telescope of the Max-Planck Society at ESO/La Silla has resulted in an extensive use for many other astrophysical research topics, from exoplanets and accreting binaries to galaxies and quasars.
Abstract: A variety of scientific results have been achieved over the last 10 years with the GROND simultaneous 7-channel imager at the 2.2m telescope of the Max-Planck Society at ESO/La Silla. While designed primarily for rapid observations of gamma-ray burst afterglows, the combination of simultaneous imaging in the Sloan g'r'i'z' and near-infrared JHK bands at a medium-sized (2.2m) telescope and the very flexible scheduling possibility has resulted in an extensive use for many other astrophysical research topics, from exoplanets and accreting binaries to galaxies and quasars.
6 citations
Cites background from "A γ-ray burst at a redshift of z ≈ ..."
...Later on, GROND significantly contributed to the recordbraking GRBs 090423 (Tanvir et al. 2009) and 090429B (Cucchiara et al. 2011) by providing
2 see http://mpe.mpg.de/∼jcg/grbgen.html for a complete list
6
data for additional filters or allowing to calibrate the typically small field-of-view NIR…...
TL;DR: In this article, long γ-ray bursts are associated with core-collapse supernovae and the connection reveals a rich and diverse continuum of explosions, in which the energy is partitioned between relativistic and non-relativistic flows.
Abstract: Long γ-ray bursts are associated with core-collapse supernovae. The connection reveals a rich and diverse continuum of explosions, in which the energy is partitioned between relativistic and non-relativistic flows.
TL;DR: In this paper, the first studies on galaxies were essentially based on images and spectra taken in the optical waveband and registered after hours of work at the telescope on glass photographic plates.
Abstract: The observational data for the extragalactic research are evolved across this century. While the first studies on galaxies were essentially based on images and spectra taken in the optical waveband and registered after hours of work at the telescope on glass photographic plates, today we receive pre-reduced multiwavelength images and spectra directly on our computers. The work of astronomers is changed completely with the technological progress. Only 30 years ago, 4–5 photographic images of galaxies, or a few spectra, were the best one can hope to get after a night of hard work at the telescope. Today, space and ground-based telescopes with big diameters and field of view are pointed toward the sky every night, collecting gigabytes of data for thousand of galaxies, that we bring with us in our laptop computers.
TL;DR: In this article, a combination of seven-year data from WMAP and improved astrophysical data rigorously tests the standard cosmological model and places new constraints on its basic parameters and extensions.
Abstract: The combination of seven-year data from WMAP and improved astrophysical data rigorously tests the standard cosmological model and places new constraints on its basic parameters and extensions. By combining the WMAP data with the latest distance measurements from the baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) in the distribution of galaxies and the Hubble constant (H0) measurement, we determine the parameters of the simplest six-parameter ΛCDM model. The power-law index of the primordial power spectrum is ns = 0.968 ± 0.012 (68% CL) for this data combination, a measurement that excludes the Harrison–Zel’dovich–Peebles spectrum by 99.5% CL. The other parameters, including those beyond the minimal set, are also consistent with, and improved from, the five-year results. We find no convincing deviations from the minimal model. The seven-year temperature power spectrum gives a better determination of the third acoustic peak, which results in a better determination of the redshift of the matter-radiation equality epoch. Notable examples of improved parameters are the total mass of neutrinos, � mν < 0.58 eV (95% CL), and the effective number of neutrino species, Neff = 4.34 +0.86 −0.88 (68% CL), which benefit from better determinations of the third peak and H0. The limit on a constant dark energy equation of state parameter from WMAP+BAO+H0, without high-redshift Type Ia supernovae, is w =− 1.10 ± 0.14 (68% CL). We detect the effect of primordial helium on the temperature power spectrum and provide a new test of big bang nucleosynthesis by measuring Yp = 0.326 ± 0.075 (68% CL). We detect, and show on the map for the first time, the tangential and radial polarization patterns around hot and cold spots of temperature fluctuations, an important test of physical processes at z = 1090 and the dominance of adiabatic scalar fluctuations. The seven-year polarization data have significantly improved: we now detect the temperature–E-mode polarization cross power spectrum at 21σ , compared with 13σ from the five-year data. With the seven-year temperature–B-mode cross power spectrum, the limit on a rotation of the polarization plane due to potential parity-violating effects has improved by 38% to Δα =− 1. 1 ± 1. 4(statistical) ± 1. 5(systematic) (68% CL). We report significant detections of the Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (SZ) effect at the locations of known clusters of galaxies. The measured SZ signal agrees well with the expected signal from the X-ray data on a cluster-by-cluster basis. However, it is a factor of 0.5–0.7 times the predictions from “universal profile” of Arnaud et al., analytical models, and hydrodynamical simulations. We find, for the first time in the SZ effect, a significant difference between the cooling-flow and non-cooling-flow clusters (or relaxed and non-relaxed clusters), which can explain some of the discrepancy. This lower amplitude is consistent with the lower-than-theoretically expected SZ power spectrum recently measured by the South Pole Telescope Collaboration.
TL;DR: In this article, the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) 5-year data were used to constrain the physics of cosmic inflation via Gaussianity, adiabaticity, the power spectrum of primordial fluctuations, gravitational waves, and spatial curvature.
Abstract: The Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) 5-year data provide stringent limits on deviations from the minimal, six-parameter Λ cold dark matter model. We report these limits and use them to constrain the physics of cosmic inflation via Gaussianity, adiabaticity, the power spectrum of primordial fluctuations, gravitational waves, and spatial curvature. We also constrain models of dark energy via its equation of state, parity-violating interaction, and neutrino properties, such as mass and the number of species. We detect no convincing deviations from the minimal model. The six parameters and the corresponding 68% uncertainties, derived from the WMAP data combined with the distance measurements from the Type Ia supernovae (SN) and the Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) in the distribution of galaxies, are: Ω b h 2 = 0.02267+0.00058 –0.00059, Ω c h 2 = 0.1131 ± 0.0034, ΩΛ = 0.726 ± 0.015, ns = 0.960 ± 0.013, τ = 0.084 ± 0.016, and at k = 0.002 Mpc-1. From these, we derive σ8 = 0.812 ± 0.026, H 0 = 70.5 ± 1.3 km s-1 Mpc–1, Ω b = 0.0456 ± 0.0015, Ω c = 0.228 ± 0.013, Ω m h 2 = 0.1358+0.0037 –0.0036, z reion = 10.9 ± 1.4, and t 0 = 13.72 ± 0.12 Gyr. With the WMAP data combined with BAO and SN, we find the limit on the tensor-to-scalar ratio of r 1 is disfavored even when gravitational waves are included, which constrains the models of inflation that can produce significant gravitational waves, such as chaotic or power-law inflation models, or a blue spectrum, such as hybrid inflation models. We obtain tight, simultaneous limits on the (constant) equation of state of dark energy and the spatial curvature of the universe: –0.14 < 1 + w < 0.12(95%CL) and –0.0179 < Ω k < 0.0081(95%CL). We provide a set of WMAP distance priors, to test a variety of dark energy models with spatial curvature. We test a time-dependent w with a present value constrained as –0.33 < 1 + w 0 < 0.21 (95% CL). Temperature and dark matter fluctuations are found to obey the adiabatic relation to within 8.9% and 2.1% for the axion-type and curvaton-type dark matter, respectively. The power spectra of TB and EB correlations constrain a parity-violating interaction, which rotates the polarization angle and converts E to B. The polarization angle could not be rotated more than –59 < Δα < 24 (95% CL) between the decoupling and the present epoch. We find the limit on the total mass of massive neutrinos of ∑m ν < 0.67 eV(95%CL), which is free from the uncertainty in the normalization of the large-scale structure data. The number of relativistic degrees of freedom (dof), expressed in units of the effective number of neutrino species, is constrained as N eff = 4.4 ± 1.5 (68%), consistent with the standard value of 3.04. Finally, quantitative limits on physically-motivated primordial non-Gaussianity parameters are –9 < f local NL < 111 (95% CL) and –151 < f equil NL < 253 (95% CL) for the local and equilateral models, respectively.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors show that the tensor-to-scalar ratio r 1 is disfavored regardless of r. They provide a set of "WMAP distance priors, to test a variety of dark energy models.
Abstract: (Abridged) The WMAP 5-year data strongly limit deviations from the minimal LCDM model. We constrain the physics of inflation via Gaussianity, adiabaticity, the power spectrum shape, gravitational waves, and spatial curvature. We also constrain the properties of dark energy, parity-violation, and neutrinos. We detect no convincing deviations from the minimal model. The parameters of the LCDM model, derived from WMAP combined with the distance measurements from the Type Ia supernovae (SN) and the Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO), are: Omega_b=0.0456+-0.0015, Omega_c=0.228+-0.013, Omega_Lambda=0.726+-0.015, H_0=70.5+-1.3 km/s/Mpc, n_s=0.960+-0.013, tau=0.084+-0.016, and sigma_8=0.812+-0.026. With WMAP+BAO+SN, we find the tensor-to-scalar ratio r 1 is disfavored regardless of r. We obtain tight, simultaneous limits on the (constant) equation of state of dark energy and curvature. We provide a set of "WMAP distance priors," to test a variety of dark energy models. We test a time-dependent w with a present value constrained as -0.33<1+w_0<0.21 (95% CL). Temperature and matter fluctuations obey the adiabatic relation to within 8.9% and 2.1% for the axion and curvaton-type dark matter, respectively. The TE and EB spectra constrain cosmic parity-violation. We find the limit on the total mass of neutrinos, sum(m_nu)<0.67 eV (95% CL), which is free from the uncertainty in the normalization of the large-scale structure data. The effective number of neutrino species is constrained as N_{eff} = 4.4+-1.5 (68%), consistent with the standard value of 3.04. Finally, limits on primordial non-Gaussianity are -9
TL;DR: The Swift mission as discussed by the authors is a multi-wavelength observatory for gamma-ray burst (GRB) astronomy, which is a first-of-its-kind autonomous rapid-slewing satellite for transient astronomy and pioneers the way for future rapid-reaction and multiwavelength missions.
Abstract: The Swift mission, scheduled for launch in 2004, is a multiwavelength observatory for gamma-ray burst (GRB) astronomy. It is a first-of-its-kind autonomous rapid-slewing satellite for transient astronomy and pioneers the way for future rapid-reaction and multiwavelength missions. It will be far more powerful than any previous GRB mission, observing more than 100 bursts yr � 1 and performing detailed X-ray and UV/optical afterglow observations spanning timescales from 1 minute to several days after the burst. The objectives are to (1) determine the origin of GRBs, (2) classify GRBs and search for new types, (3) study the interaction of the ultrarelativistic outflows of GRBs with their surrounding medium, and (4) use GRBs to study the early universe out to z >10. The mission is being developed by a NASA-led international collaboration. It will carry three instruments: a newgeneration wide-field gamma-ray (15‐150 keV) detector that will detect bursts, calculate 1 0 ‐4 0 positions, and trigger autonomous spacecraft slews; a narrow-field X-ray telescope that will give 5 00 positions and perform spectroscopy in the 0.2‐10 keV band; and a narrow-field UV/optical telescope that will operate in the 170‐ 600 nm band and provide 0B3 positions and optical finding charts. Redshift determinations will be made for most bursts. In addition to the primary GRB science, the mission will perform a hard X-ray survey to a sensitivity of � 1m crab (� 2;10 � 11 ergs cm � 2 s � 1 in the 15‐150 keV band), more than an order of magnitude better than HEAO 1 A-4. A flexible data and operations system will allow rapid follow-up observations of all types of
TL;DR: A homogeneous X-rays analysis of all 318 gamma-ray bursts detected by the X-ray telescope (XRT) on the Swift satellite up to 2008 July 23 is presented; this represents the largest sample ofX-ray GRB data published to date.
Abstract: We present a homogeneous X-ray analysis of all 318 gamma-ray bursts detected by the X-ray telescope (XRT) on the Swift satellite up to 2008 July 23; this represents the largest sample of X-ray GRB data published to date. In Sections 2-3, we detail the methods which the Swift-XRT team has developed to produce the enhanced positions, light curves, hardness ratios and spectra presented in this paper. Software using these methods continues to create such products for all new GRBs observed by the Swift-XRT. We also detail web-based tools allowing users to create these products for any object observed by the XRT, not just GRBs. In Sections 4-6, we present the results of our analysis of GRBs, including probability distribution functions of the temporal and spectral properties of the sample. We demonstrate evidence for a consistent underlying behaviour which can produce a range of light-curve morphologies, and attempt to interpret this behaviour in the framework of external forward shock emission. We find several difficulties, in particular that reconciliation of our data with the forward shock model requires energy injection to continue for days to weeks.