Abstract
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Astrophysical Journal |
| Volume | 556 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Pages (from-to) | 70-76 |
| ISSN | 0004-637X |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2001 |
Keywords
- gamma rays : bursts
Cite this
}
Hubble Space Telescope STIS observations of GRB 000301C: CCD imaging and near-ultraviolet MAMA spectroscopy. / Smette, A.; Fruchter, A.S.; Gull, T.R.; Sahu, K.C.; Petro, L.; Ferguson, H.; Rhoads, J.; Lindler, D.J.; Gibbons, R.; Hogg, D.W.; Kouveliotou, C.; Livio, M.; Macchetto, D.; Metzger, M.R.; Pedersen, H.; Pian, E.; Thorsett, S.E.; Wijers, R.A.M.J.; Fynbo, J.P.U.; Gorosabel, J.; Hjorth, J.; Jensen, B.L.; Levine, A.; Smith, D.A.; Cline, T.; Hurley, K.; Trombka, J.
In: Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 556, No. 1, 2001, p. 70-76.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Hubble Space Telescope STIS observations of GRB 000301C: CCD imaging and near-ultraviolet MAMA spectroscopy
AU - Smette, A.
AU - Fruchter, A.S.
AU - Gull, T.R.
AU - Sahu, K.C.
AU - Petro, L.
AU - Ferguson, H.
AU - Rhoads, J.
AU - Lindler, D.J.
AU - Gibbons, R.
AU - Hogg, D.W.
AU - Kouveliotou, C.
AU - Livio, M.
AU - Macchetto, D.
AU - Metzger, M.R.
AU - Pedersen, H.
AU - Pian, E.
AU - Thorsett, S.E.
AU - Wijers, R.A.M.J.
AU - Fynbo, J.P.U.
AU - Gorosabel, J.
AU - Hjorth, J.
AU - Jensen, B.L.
AU - Levine, A.
AU - Smith, D.A.
AU - Cline, T.
AU - Hurley, K.
AU - Trombka, J.
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - We present Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph observations of the optical transient (OT) counterpart of the c-ray burster GRB 000301C obtained 5 days after the burst, on 2000 March 6. CCD clear-aperture imaging reveals a R similar or equal to 21.50 +/- 0.15 source with no apparent host galaxy. An 8000 s, 1150 Angstrom < <2200 near-ultraviolet MAMA prism spectrum shows a flat or slightly rising continuum (in f(lambda)) between 2800 and 3300 Angstrom, with a mean flux of (8.7(-1.6)(+0.8) +/- 2.6) x 10(-18) ergs s(-1) cm(-2) Angstrom (-1), and a sharp break centered at 2797 +/- 25 Angstrom. We interpret this as the H I Lyman break at z = 2.067 +/- 0.025, indicating the presence of a cloud with an H I column density log N-HI(cm(2)) > 18 on the line of sight to the OT. This measured redshift is conservatively a lower limit to the GRB redshift. However, as all other GRBs that have deep Hubble Space Telescope images appear to lie on the stellar field of a host galaxy, and as the large H I column density measured here and in later ground-based observations is unlikely on a random line of sight, we believe we are probably seeing absorption from H I in the host galaxy. In any case, this represents the largest direct redshift determination of a c-ray burster to date. Our data are compatible with an OT spectrum represented by a power law with an intrinsic index alpha = 1.2 (f(nu) proportional to nu (-alpha)) and no extinction in the host galaxy, or with alpha = 0.5 and extinction by SMC-like dust in the OT rest frame with A(V) = 0.15. The large N-HI and the lack of a detected host are similar to the situation for damped Ly alpha absorbers at z > 2.
AB - We present Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph observations of the optical transient (OT) counterpart of the c-ray burster GRB 000301C obtained 5 days after the burst, on 2000 March 6. CCD clear-aperture imaging reveals a R similar or equal to 21.50 +/- 0.15 source with no apparent host galaxy. An 8000 s, 1150 Angstrom < <2200 near-ultraviolet MAMA prism spectrum shows a flat or slightly rising continuum (in f(lambda)) between 2800 and 3300 Angstrom, with a mean flux of (8.7(-1.6)(+0.8) +/- 2.6) x 10(-18) ergs s(-1) cm(-2) Angstrom (-1), and a sharp break centered at 2797 +/- 25 Angstrom. We interpret this as the H I Lyman break at z = 2.067 +/- 0.025, indicating the presence of a cloud with an H I column density log N-HI(cm(2)) > 18 on the line of sight to the OT. This measured redshift is conservatively a lower limit to the GRB redshift. However, as all other GRBs that have deep Hubble Space Telescope images appear to lie on the stellar field of a host galaxy, and as the large H I column density measured here and in later ground-based observations is unlikely on a random line of sight, we believe we are probably seeing absorption from H I in the host galaxy. In any case, this represents the largest direct redshift determination of a c-ray burster to date. Our data are compatible with an OT spectrum represented by a power law with an intrinsic index alpha = 1.2 (f(nu) proportional to nu (-alpha)) and no extinction in the host galaxy, or with alpha = 0.5 and extinction by SMC-like dust in the OT rest frame with A(V) = 0.15. The large N-HI and the lack of a detected host are similar to the situation for damped Ly alpha absorbers at z > 2.
KW - gamma rays : bursts
U2 - 10.1086/321585
DO - 10.1086/321585
M3 - Journal article
VL - 556
SP - 70
EP - 76
JO - Astrophysical Journal
JF - Astrophysical Journal
SN - 0004-637X
IS - 1
ER -