NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2010A-0145
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2010A-0145 |
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PI: Nial Tanvir, University of Leicester, nrt3@star.le.ac.uk
Address: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, United Kingdom
CoI: Andrew Levan, University of Warwick
CoI: Andrew Fruchter, Space Telescope Science Institute
CoI: Klaas Wiersema, University of Leicester
CoI: Evert Rol, University of Amsterdam
CoI: John Graham, Space Telescope Science Institute
CoI: Daniel Reichart, University of North Carolina
CoI: David Bersier, Liverpool John Moores University
CoI: Pall Jakobsson, University of Iceland
CoI: Paul O'Brien, University of Leicester
CoI: James Rhoads, Arizona State University
CoI: Jens Hjorth, NBI: DARK, Copenhagen
Title: Investigating gamma-ray bursts and their use as cosmological probes
Abstract:
Rapid observations of gamma-ray bursts are critical to probing their exotic
physics and using GRBs themselves as probes of the universe. Our
collaboration has recently found the most distant known object, GRB 090423 at
z=8.23, and continues to use Gemini (supported by other facilities) to study
distant and extreme bursts, and explore the diversity of their hosts and
progenitors. Our primary goals remain (i) to observe GRBs at very high
redshifts, where they provide luminous backlights with which to explore the
early ISM/IGM, and also the means to identify and characterise their faint
hosts; (ii) to construct a more complete redshift sample of GRBs and
constrain the evolution of the mass-metallicity relation; (iii) to detect
afterglows and measure redshifts for the class of short-duration bursts,
whose nature, despite recent breakthroughs, remains enigmatic; (iv) in
conjunction with X-ray and gamma-ray data, to test the standard jetted,
relativistic fireball models.
National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85726, Phone: (520) 318-8000, Fax: (520) 318-8360
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2010A-0145 |
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