(2011) A photometric redshift of z∼ 9.4 for GRB 090429B. The Astrophysical Journal, Vol.736 (No.1). Article 7. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/736/1/7

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Abstract

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) serve as powerful probes of the early universe, with their luminous afterglows revealing the locations and physical properties of star-forming galaxies at the highest redshifts, and potentially locating first-generation (Population III) stars. Since GRB afterglows have intrinsically very simple spectra, they allow robust redshifts from low signal-to-noise spectroscopy, or photometry. Here we present a photometric redshift of z similar to 9.4 for the Swift detected GRB 090429B based on deep observations with Gemini-North, the Very Large Telescope, and the GRB Optical and Near-infrared Detector. Assuming a Small Magellanic Cloud dust law (which has been found in a majority of GRB sight lines), the 90% likelihood range for the redshift is 9.06 < z < 9.52, although there is a low-probability tail toward somewhat lower redshifts. Adopting Milky Way or Large Magellanic Cloud dust laws leads to very similar conclusions, while a Maiolino law does allow somewhat lower redshift solutions, though in all cases the most likely redshift is found to be z > 7. The non-detection of the host galaxy to deep limits (Y (AB) similar to 28, which would correspond roughly to 0.001L* at z = 1) in our late-time optical and infrared observations with the Hubble Space Telescope strongly supports the extreme-redshift origin of GRB 090429B, since we would expect to have detected any low-z galaxy, even if it were highly dusty. Finally, the energetics of GRB 090429B are comparable to those of other GRBs and suggest that its progenitor is not greatly different from those of lower redshift bursts

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QB Astronomy
Divisions:	Faculty of Science > Physics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Red shift, Astronomical photometry, Gamma ray bursts
Journal or Publication Title:	The Astrophysical Journal
Publisher:	Institute of Physics Publishing, Inc.
ISSN:	0004-637X
Official Date:	20 July 2011
Dates:	Date Event 20 July 2011 Published
Volume:	Vol.736
Number:	No.1
Page Range:	Article 7
DOI:	10.1088/0004-637X/736/1/7
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Funder:	National Science Foundation (U.S.) (NSF), United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Science and Technology Facilities Council (Great Britain) (STFC) , Danmarks Grundforskningsfond [Danish National Research Foundation], Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD)
Grant number:	GN-2009A-Q-26 (NSF), NAS 5-26555 (NASA), HA 1850/28-1 (DFG)

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