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Aims: The AGILE gamma-ray burst GRB 080514B is the first burst with detected emission above 30 MeV and an optical afterglow. However, no spectroscopic redshift for this burst is known. Methods: We compiled ground-based photometric optical/NIR and millimeter data from several observatories, including the multi-channel imager GROND, as well as ultraviolet swift UVOT and X-ray XRT observations. The spectral energy distribution of the optical/NIR afterglow shows a sharp drop in the swift UVOT UV filters that can be utilized for the estimation of a redshift. Results: Fitting the SED from the swift UVOT $uvw2$ band to the $H$ band, we estimate a photometric redshift of $z=1.8^{+0.4}_{-0.3}$, consistent with the pseudo redshift reported by Pelangeon & Atteia (2008) based on the gamma-ray data. Conclusions: The afterglow properties of GRB 080514B do not differ from those exhibited by the global sample of long bursts, supporting the view that afterglow properties are basically independent of prompt emission properties.
GRB 080514B is the first gamma ray burst (GRB), since the time of EGRET, for which individual photons of energy above several tens of MeV have been detected with a pair-conversion tracker telescope. This burst was discovered with the Italian AGILE gamma-ray satellite. The GRB was localized with a cooperation by AGILE and the interplanetary network (IPN). The gamma-ray imager (GRID) estimate of the position, obtained before the SuperAGILE-IPN localization, is found to be consistent with the burst position. The hard X-ray emission observed by SuperAGILE lasted about 7 s, while there is evidence that the emission above 30 MeV extends for a longer duration (at least ~13 s). Similar behavior was seen in the past from a few other GRBs observed with EGRET. However, the latter measurements were affected, during the brightest phases, by instrumental dead time effects, resulting in only lower limits to the burst intensity. Thanks to the small dead time of the AGILE/GRID we could assess that in the case of GRB 080514B the gamma-ray to X-ray flux ratio changes significantly between the prompt and extended emission phase.
No optical afterglow was found for the dark burst GRB 981226 and hence no absorption redshift has been obtained. We here use ground-based and space imaging observations to analyse the spectral energy distribution (SED) of the host galaxy. By comparison with synthetic template spectra we determine the photometric redshift of the GRB 981226 host to be z_phot = 1.11+/-0.06 (68% confidence level). While the age-metallicity degeneracy for the host SED complicates the determination of accurate ages, metallicity, and extinction, the photometric redshift is robust. The inferred z_phot value is also robust compared to a Bayesian redshift estimator which gives z_phot=0.94+/-0.13. The characteristics for this host are similar to other GRB hosts previously examined. Available low resolution spectra show no emission lines at the expected wavelengths. The photometric redshift estimate indicates an isotropic energy release consistent with the Amati relation for this GRB which had a spectrum characteristic of an X-ray flash.
Gamma-ray bursts (GRBSs) are produced by rare types of massive stellar explosions. Their rapidly fading afterglows are often bright enough at optical wavelengths, that they are detectable up to cosmological distances. Hirtheto, the highest known redshift for a GRB was z=6.7, for GRB 080913, and for a galaxy was z=6.96. Here we report observations of GRB 090423 and the near-infrared spectroscopic measurement of its redshift z=8.1^{+0.1}_{-0.3}. This burst happened when the Universe was only ~4% of its current age. Its properties are similar to those of GRBs observed at low/intermediate redshifts, suggesting that the mechanisms and progenitors that gave rise to this burst about 600 million years after the Big Bang are not markedly different from those producing GRBs ~10 billion years later.
We present and analyse integral-field observations of six type-II QSOs with z=0.3-0.4, selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Two of our sample are found to be surrounded by a nebula of warm ionized gas, with the largest nebula extending across 8 (40 kpc). Some regions of the extended nebulae show kinematics that are consistent with gravitational motion, while other regions show relatively perturbed kinematics: velocity shifts and line widths too large to be readily explained by gravitational motion. We propose that a ~20 kpc x20 kpc outflow is present in one of the galaxies. Possible mechanisms for triggering the outflow are discussed. In this object, we also find evidence for ionization both by shocks and the radiation field of the AGN.
We study the morphological and structural properties of the host galaxies associated with 57 optically-selected luminous type 2 AGN at $zsim$0.3-0.4: 16 high-luminosity Seyfert 2 (HLSy2, 8.0$le$log($L_{rm [OIII]}/L_{odot})<$8.3) and 41 obscured quasars (QSO2, log($L_{rm [OIII]}/L_{odot})ge$8.3). With this work, the total number of QSO2 at $z<1$ with parametrized galaxies increases from $sim$35 to 76. Our analysis is based on HST WFPC2 and ACS images that we fit with {sc GALFIT}. HLSy2 and QSO2 show a wide diversity of galaxy hosts. The main difference lies in the higher incidence of highly-disturbed systems among QSO2. This is consistent with a scenario in which galaxy interactions are the dominant mechanism triggering nuclear activity at the highest AGN power. There is a strong dependence of galaxy properties with AGN power (assuming $L_ {rm [OIII]}$ is an adequate proxy). The relative contribution of the spheroidal component to the total galaxy light (B/T) increases with $L_ {rm [OIII]}$. While systems dominated by the spheoridal component spread across the total range of $L_ {rm [OIII]}$, most disk-dominated galaxies concentrate at log($L_{rm [OIII]}/L_{odot})<$8.6. This is expected if more powerful AGN are powered by more massive black holes which are hosted by more massive bulges or spheroids. The average galaxy sizes ($langle r_{rm e} rangle$) are 5.0$pm$1.5 kpc for HLSy2 and 3.9$pm$0.6 kpc for HLSy2 and QSO2 respectively. These are significantly smaller than those found for QSO1 and narrow line radio galaxies at similar $z$. We put the results of our work in context of related studies of AGN with quasar-like luminosities.