Wiersema, Klaas, Togi, A., Watson, D., Christensen, J. P. U. , Fynbo, B., Gompertz, Benjamin P., Higgins, A. B., Levan, Andrew J., Oates, S. R., Schulze, S., Smith, D. T., Stanway, Elizabeth R., Starling, R. L. C., Steeghs, D. and Tanvir, N. R. (2018) Infrared molecular hydrogen lines in GRB host galaxies. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 481 (1). pp. 1126-1132. doi:10.1093/mnras/sty2371

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Abstract

Molecular species, most frequently H2, are present in a small, but growing, number of gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglow spectra at redshifts z ∼ 2−3, detected through their rest-frame UV absorption lines. In rare cases, lines of vibrationally excited states of H2 can be detected in the same spectra. The connection between afterglow line-of-sight absorption properties of molecular (and atomic) gas, and the observed behaviour in emission of similar sources at low redshift, is an important test of the suitability of GRB afterglows as general probes of conditions in star formation regions at high redshift. Recently, emission lines of carbon monoxide have been detected in a small sample of GRB host galaxies, at sub-mm wavelengths, but no searches for H2 in emission have been reported yet. In this paper we perform an exploratory search for rest-frame K band rotation-vibrational transitions of H2 in emission, observable only in the lowest redshift GRB hosts (⁠z ≲ 0.22). Searching the data of four host galaxies, we detect a single significant rotation-vibrational H2 line candidate, in the host of GRB 031203. Re-analysis of Spitzer mid-infrared spectra of the same GRB host gives a single low significance rotational line candidate. The (limits on) line flux ratios are consistent with those of blue compact dwarf galaxies in the literature. New instrumentation, in particular on the JWST and the ELT, can facilitate a major increase in our understanding of the H2 properties of nearby GRB hosts, and the relation to H2 absorption in GRBs at higher redshift.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QB Astronomy
Divisions:	Faculty of Science > Physics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Gamma ray bursts
Journal or Publication Title:	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
ISSN:	0035-8711
Official Date:	21 November 2018
Dates:	Date Event 21 November 2018 Published 3 September 2018 Available 24 August 2018 Accepted
Date of first compliant deposit:	29 August 2018
Date of first compliant Open Access:	23 January 2019
Volume:	481
Number:	1
Page Range:	pp. 1126-1132
DOI:	10.1093/mnras/sty2371
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Publisher Statement:	This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society following peer review. The version of recordK Wiersema, A Togi, D Watson, L Christensen, J P U Fynbo, B P Gompertz, A B Higgins, A J Levan, S R Oates, S Schulze, J D T Smith, E R Stanway, R L C Starling, D Steeghs, N R Tanvir; Infrared molecular hydrogen lines in GRB host galaxies, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 481, Issue 1, 21 November 2018, Pages 1126–1132 is available online at:https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sty2371
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
RIOXX Funder/Project Grant:	Project/Grant ID RIOXX Funder Name Funder ID 1616828 National Science Foundation http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000001 UNSPECIFIED [STFC] Science and Technology Facilities Council http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000271 UNSPECIFIED Danmarks Grundforskningsfond http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001732
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