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The optical afterglow and z = 0.92 early-type host galaxy of the short GRB 100117A

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Fong, Wen-fai, Berger, Edo, Chornock, R., Tanvir, Nial R., Levan, A. J., Fruchter, Andrew S., Graham, John F., Cucchiara, A. (Antonino) and Fox, Derek B.. (2011) The optical afterglow and z = 0.92 early-type host galaxy of the short GRB 100117A. Astrophysical Journal, Volume 730 (Number 1). p. 26. ISSN 0004-637X

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/730/1/26

Abstract

We present the discovery of the optical afterglow and early-type host galaxy of the short-duration GRB 100117A. The faint afterglow is detected 8.3 hr after the burst with r AB = 25.46 ± 0.20 mag. Follow-up optical and near-infrared observations uncover a coincident compact red galaxy, identified as an early-type galaxy at a spectroscopic redshift of z 0.915 with a mass of ~3 × 1010 M ☉, an age of ~1 Gyr, and a luminosity of L B 0.5 L *. From a possible weak detection of [O II]λ3727 emission at z = 0.915 we infer an upper bound on the star formation rate of ~0.1 M ☉ yr–1, leading to a specific star formation rate of 0.004 Gyr–1. Thus, GRB 100117A is only the second short burst to date with a secure early-type host (the other being GRB 050724 at z = 0.257) and it has one of the highest short gamma-ray burst (GRB) redshifts. The offset between the host center and the burst position, 470 ± 310 pc, is the smallest to date. Combined with the old stellar population age, this indicates that the burst likely originated from a progenitor with no significant kick velocity. However, from the brightness of the optical afterglow we infer a relatively low density of n 3 × 10–4 –3 e,–1–1.75 B,–1 cm–3. The combination of an optically faint afterglow and host suggests that previous such events may have been missed, thereby potentially biasing the known short GRB host population against z 1 early-type hosts.

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:

Astrophysical Journal

Publisher:

IOP Publishing

ISSN:

0004-637X

Official Date:

20 March 2011

Dates:

Date	Event
20 March 2011	Published

Volume:

Volume 730

Number:

Number 1

Page Range:

p. 26

Identification Number:

10.1088/0004-637X/730/1/26

Status:

Peer Reviewed

Publication Status:

Published

Access rights to Published version:

Restricted or Subscription Access

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