MG11 |
Participant |
Starling, Rhaana | |
|
Institution |
Astronomical Institute 'Anton Pannekoek', University of Amsterdam - Kruislaan 403 - Amsterdam - - THE NETHERLANDS | |
|
Session |
Talk |
Abstract |
|
GRB3 |
Probing high redshift galaxies through optical afterglow spectra |
Gamma-ray Bursts (GRBs) have been seen out to z=6.29. They enable the discovery of a population of distant, faint, star-forming galaxies in which they lie, not picked up by flux-limited surveys. Hence GRBs are a unique tool to probe cosmic chemical evolution and star-formation history. Absorption features imprinted on the bright optical afterglows reveal the conditions in the host galaxies. Metallicities, Z, spanning 0.01--0.1 Z_sun have now been measured in the spectra of several z>2 afterglows. Here I will discuss this exciting branch of GRB host studies and present 2 interesting cases in detail: GRB 060206 and GRB 050730. |