GAMMA-RAY BURSTS TRACE UV METRICS OF STAR FORMATION OVER 3 < z < 5

J. Greiner, D. B. Fox, P. Schady, T. Kr�hler, M. Trenti, A. Cikota, J. Bolmer, J. Elliott, C. Delvaux, R. Perna, P. Afonso, D. A. Kann, S. Klose, S. Savaglio, S. Schmidl, T. Schweyer, M. Tanga, K. Varela

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

54 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present the first uniform treatment of long duration gamma-ray burst (GRB) host galaxy detections and upper limits over the redshift range 3 ≤ z ≤ 5, a key epoch for observational and theoretical efforts to understand the processes, environments, and consequences of early cosmic star formation (SF). We contribute deep imaging observations of 13 GRB positions yielding the discovery of 8 new host galaxies. We use this data set in tandem with previously published observations of 31 further GRB positions to estimate or constrain the host galaxy restframe ultraviolet (UV; l = 1600) absolute magnitudes MUV. We then use the combined set of 44 MUV estimates and limits to construct the MUV luminosity function (LF) for GRB host galaxies over 3 ≤ z ≤ 5 and compare it to expectations from Lyman break galaxy (LBG) photometric surveys with the Hubble Space Telescope. Adopting standard prescriptions for the luminosity dependence of galaxy dust obscuration (and hence, total SF rate), we find that our LF is compatible with LBG observations over a factor of 600 in host luminosity, from MUV = -22.5 mag to -15.6 mag, and with extrapolations of the assumed Schechter-type LF well beyond this range. We review proposed astrophysical and observational biases for our sample, and find that they are for the most part minimal. We therefore conclude, as the simplest interpretation of our results, that GRBs successfully trace UV metrics of cosmic SF over the range 3 ≤ z ≤ 5. Our findings suggest that GRBs provide an accurate picture of star formation processes from z 3 out to the highest redshifts.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number76
JournalAstrophysical Journal
Volume809
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 10 2015

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'GAMMA-RAY BURSTS TRACE UV METRICS OF STAR FORMATION OVER 3 < z < 5'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this