Cosmological Uses of Gamma-Ray Bursts
Abstract
Studies of the cosmic gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and their host galaxies are starting to provide interesting or even unique new insights in observational cosmology. GRBs represent a new way of identifying a population of star-forming galaxies at cosmological redshifts. GRB hosts are broadly similar to the normal field galaxy populations at comparable redshifts and magnitudes, and indicate at most a mild luminosity evolution out to z ~ 1.5 - 2. GRB optical afterglows seen in absorption provide a powerful new probe of the ISM in dense, central regions of their host galaxies, complementary to the traditional studies using QSO absorbers. Some GRB hosts are heavily obscured, and provide a new way to select a population of cosmological sub-mm sources, and a novel constraint on the total obscured fraction of star formation over the history of the universe. Finally, detection of GRB afterglows at z > 6 may provide a unique way to probe the primordial star formation, massive IMF, early IGM, and chemical enrichment at the end of the cosmic reionization era.
Additional Information
We wish to thank numerous collaborators, and the staff of Palomar and W.M. Keck Observatories for their expert help during our observing runs. Our work was supported by grants from the NSF, NASA, and private donors.Attached Files
Submitted - 0302004.pdf
Files
0302004.pdf
Files
(104.9 kB)
| Name | Size | Download all |
|---|---|---|
|
md5:c5009e5b0716802263ed00da6f3b1d2c
|
104.9 kB | Preview Download |
Additional details
Identifiers
- Eprint ID
- 97882
- Resolver ID
- CaltechAUTHORS:20190814-095417789
Related works
- Describes
- https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0302004 (URL)
Funding
- NSF
- NASA
Dates
- Created
-
2019-08-14Created from EPrint's datestamp field
- Updated
-
2023-06-01Created from EPrint's last_modified field