The nature of dark gamma-ray burst host galaxies

Details The nature of dark gamma-ray burst host galaxies The nature of dark gamma-ray burst host galaxies

Mar 2008

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008sptz.prop50562l&link_type=abstract

Spitzer Proposal ID #50562

Computer Science

Scientific paper

A fraction of gamma-ray bursts are dark in the optical and even in the nIR. These bursts, localised only via their X-ray afterglows probably include bursts in highly obscured, extreme star forming regions, and may originate from decidely different environments from optically bright gamma-ray bursts. We have an intensive programmeaimed at understanding these environments via studies of host galaxies. This includes approved time on Chandra, HST and the VLT. These facilities provide precise positions and characterize the optical magnitudes and morphologies of the host galaxies. However, strong discriminators between different host galaxy types lie in the mid-IR, where dust emission can be more directly probed. Here we propose to use Spitzer to study the host galaxies of bursts which show clear optical suppression. This will allow the construction of complete spectral energy distributions of these dark burst host galaxies, enable photometric redshifts to be determined for a fraction of the GRB host population not previously open to detailed study, and provide measures of dust content, stellar mass and star formation rates in these hosts. These observations will allow us to understand the environments of dark GRBs, how they relate to the bright bursts, and how the bulk GRB population traces starformation.

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