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Article Dans Une Revue Astronomy and Astrophysics - A&A Année : 2010

GRB 090313: X-shooter's first shot at a GRB

A. de Ugarte Postigo
C.C. Thöne
  • Fonction : Auteur
S.D. Vergani
V. d'Elia
  • Fonction : Auteur
S. Piranomonte
  • Fonction : Auteur
D. Malesani
  • Fonction : Auteur
S. Covino
J.P.U. Fynbo
  • Fonction : Auteur
J. Hjorth
  • Fonction : Auteur
R.A.M.J. Wijers
  • Fonction : Auteur
S. d'Odorico
  • Fonction : Auteur
L. Kaper
  • Fonction : Auteur
P. Kjærgaard
  • Fonction : Auteur
S. Randich
  • Fonction : Auteur
M. I. Andersen
  • Fonction : Auteur
L. A. Antonelli
  • Fonction : Auteur
L. Christensen
  • Fonction : Auteur
P. d'Avanzo
  • Fonction : Auteur
F. Fiore
  • Fonction : Auteur
P.J. Groot
  • Fonction : Auteur
E. Maiorano
  • Fonction : Auteur
E. Palazzi
  • Fonction : Auteur
E. Pian
  • Fonction : Auteur
G. Tagliaferri
  • Fonction : Auteur
M.E. van den Ancker
  • Fonction : Auteur
J. Vernet
  • Fonction : Auteur

Résumé

Context. X-shooter is the first second-generation instrument to become operative at the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT). It is a broad-band medium-resolution spectrograph designed with gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglow spectroscopy as one of its main science drivers. Aims. During the first commissioning night on sky with the instrument fully assembled, X-shooter observed the afterglow of GRB 090313 as a demonstration of the instrument's capabilities. Methods. GRB 090313 was observed almost two days after the burst onset, when the object had already faded to R~21.6. Furthermore, the 90% illuminated Moon was just 30 degrees away from the field. In spite of the adverse conditions, we obtained a spectrum that, for the first time in GRB research, covers simultaneously the range from 5700 to 23000 Angstroms. Results. The spectrum shows multiple absorption features at a redshift of 3.3736, the redshift of the GRB. These features are composed of 3 components with different ionisation levels and velocities. Some of the features have never been observed before in a GRB at such a high redshift. Furthermore, we detect two intervening systems at redshifts of 1.8005 and 1.9597. Conclusions. These results demonstrate the potential of X-shooter in the GRB field, as it was capable of observing a GRB down to a magnitude limit that would include 72% of long GRB afterglows 2 hours after the burst onset. Coupled with the rapid response mode available at VLT, allowing reaction times of just a few minutes, X-shooter constitutes an important leap forward on medium resolution spectroscopic studies of GRBs, their host galaxies and intervening systems, probing the early history of the Universe.

Dates et versions

hal-00708884 , version 1 (16-06-2012)

Identifiants

Citer

A. de Ugarte Postigo, P. Goldoni, C.C. Thöne, S.D. Vergani, V. d'Elia, et al.. GRB 090313: X-shooter's first shot at a GRB. Astronomy and Astrophysics - A&A, 2010, 513, pp.A42. ⟨10.1051/0004-6361/200913113⟩. ⟨hal-00708884⟩
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