Cosmic Star Formation, Gamma-Ray Burst Rate at high redshift and Cosmic Chemical Evolution

ABSTRACT Gamma-ray burst (GRB) data suggest that the jets from GRBs in the high redshift universe are more narrowly collimated than those at lower redshifts. This implies that we detect relatively fewer long GRB progenitor systems (i.e. massive stars) at high redshifts, because a greater fraction of GRBs have their jets pointed away from us. As a result, estimates of the star formation rate (SFR; from the GRB rate) at high redshifts may be diminished if this effect is not taken into account. In this paper, we estimate the SFR using the observed GRB rate, accounting for an evolving jet opening angle. We find that the SFR in the early universe (z > 3) can be up to an order of magnitude higher than the canonical estimates, depending on the severity of beaming angle evolution and the fraction of stars that make long GRBs. Additionally, we find an excess in the SFR at low redshifts, although this lessens when accounting for evolution of the beaming angle. Finally, under the assumption that GRBs do, in fact, trace canonical forms of the cosmic SFR, we constrain the resulting fraction of stars that must produce GRBs, again accounting for jet beaming-angle evolution. We find this assumption suggests a high fraction of stars in the early universe producing GRBs – a result that may, in fact, support our initial assertion that GRBs do not trace canonical estimates of the SFR.

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Metallicity of Gamma-Ray Burst Progenitors: Connection between Star Formation and Gamma-Ray Burst Production

10.1063/1.3485160 ◽

2010 ◽

Author(s):

Y. Niino ◽

J.-H. Choi ◽

M. A. R. Kobayashi ◽

K. Nagamine ◽

T. Totani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Star Formation ◽

Gamma Ray ◽

Gamma Ray Burst

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Low radio-derived star formation rates in z < 0.5 gamma-ray burst host galaxies

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Letters ◽

10.1111/j.1745-3933.2010.00951.x ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 409 (1) ◽

pp. L74-L78 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Elizabeth R. Stanway ◽

Luke J. M. Davies ◽

Andrew J. Levan

Keyword(s):

Star Formation ◽

Gamma Ray ◽

Host Galaxies ◽

Gamma Ray Burst

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Exploration of the high-redshift universe enabled by THESEUS

Experimental Astronomy ◽

10.1007/s10686-021-09778-w ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

N. R. Tanvir ◽

E. Le Floc’h ◽

L. Christensen ◽

J. Caruana ◽

R. Salvaterra ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Star Formation ◽

Gamma Ray ◽

High Redshift ◽

Formation Rate ◽

Star Forming ◽

Chemical Enrichment ◽

Long Duration ◽

Absorption Studies ◽

Population Iii Stars ◽

High Redshift Universe

AbstractAt peak, long-duration gamma-ray bursts are the most luminous sources of electromagnetic radiation known. Since their progenitors are massive stars, they provide a tracer of star formation and star-forming galaxies over the whole of cosmic history. Their bright power-law afterglows provide ideal backlights for absorption studies of the interstellar and intergalactic medium back to the reionization era. The proposed THESEUS mission is designed to detect large samples of GRBs at z > 6 in the 2030s, at a time when supporting observations with major next generation facilities will be possible, thus enabling a range of transformative science. THESEUS will allow us to explore the faint end of the luminosity function of galaxies and the star formation rate density to high redshifts; constrain the progress of re-ionisation beyond $z\gtrsim 6$ z ≳ 6 ; study in detail early chemical enrichment from stellar explosions, including signatures of Population III stars; and potentially characterize the dark energy equation of state at the highest redshifts.

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The influence of a top-heavy integrated galactic IMF and dust on the chemical evolution of high-redshift starbursts

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society ◽

10.1093/mnras/staa848 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 494 (2) ◽

pp. 2355-2373 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

M Palla ◽

F Calura ◽

F Matteucci ◽

X L Fan ◽

F Vincenzo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Star Formation ◽

Chemical Evolution ◽

Chemical Elements ◽

High Redshift ◽

Mass Function ◽

Initial Mass Function ◽

Initial Mass ◽

Strong Impact ◽

Star Forming ◽

Abundance Patterns

ABSTRACT We study the effects of the integrated galactic initial mass function (IGIMF) and dust evolution on the abundance patterns of high redshift starburst galaxies. In our chemical models, the rapid collapse of gas clouds triggers an intense and rapid star formation episode, which lasts until the onset of a galactic wind, powered by the thermal energy injected by stellar winds and supernova explosions. Our models follow the evolution of several chemical elements (C, N, α-elements, and Fe) both in the gas and dust phases. We test different values of β, the slope of the embedded cluster mass function for the IGIMF, where lower β values imply a more top-heavy initial mass function (IMF). The computed abundances are compared to high-quality abundance measurements obtained in lensed galaxies and from composite spectra in large samples of star-forming galaxies in the redshift range 2 ≲ z ≲ 3. The adoption of the IGIMF causes a sensible increase of the rate of star formation with respect to a standard Salpeter IMF, with a strong impact on chemical evolution. We find that in order to reproduce the observed abundance patterns in these galaxies, either we need a very top-heavy IGIMF (β < 2) or large amounts of dust. In particular, if dust is important, the IGIMF should have β ≥ 2, which means an IMF slightly more top-heavy than the Salpeter one. The evolution of the dust mass with time for galaxies of different mass and IMF is also computed, highlighting that the dust amount increases with a top-heavier IGIMF.

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The case for a high-redshift origin of GRB 100205A

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society ◽

10.1093/mnras/stz1811 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 488 (1) ◽

pp. 902-909

Author(s):

A A Chrimes ◽

A J Levan ◽

E R Stanway ◽

E Berger ◽

J S Bloom ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Star Formation ◽

Galaxy Evolution ◽

Near Infrared ◽

Gamma Ray ◽

Hubble Space Telescope ◽

High Redshift ◽

Gamma Ray Bursts ◽

Host Galaxy ◽

Late Time ◽

Time Limits

Abstract The number of long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) known to have occurred in the distant Universe (z > 5) is small (∼15); however, these events provide a powerful way of probing star formation at the onset of galaxy evolution. In this paper, we present the case for GRB 100205A being a largely overlooked high-redshift event. While initially noted as a high-z candidate, this event and its host galaxy have not been explored in detail. By combining optical and near-infrared Gemini afterglow imaging (at t < 1.3 d since burst) with deep late-time limits on host emission from the Hubble Space Telescope, we show that the most likely scenario is that GRB 100205A arose in the range 4 < z < 8. GRB 100205A is an example of a burst whose afterglow, even at ∼1 h post burst, could only be identified by 8-m class IR observations, and suggests that such observations of all optically dark bursts may be necessary to significantly enhance the number of high-redshift GRBs known.

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On the cosmological evolution of long gamma-ray burst properties

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society ◽

10.1093/mnras/stz2155 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 488 (4) ◽

pp. 5823-5832 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Nicole M Lloyd-Ronning ◽

Aycin Aykutalp ◽

Jarrett L Johnson

Keyword(s):

Star Formation ◽

Gamma Ray ◽

Star Formation Rate ◽

Formation Rate ◽

Selection Effect ◽

Cosmological Evolution ◽

Opening Angle ◽

Redshift Distribution ◽

Isotropic Energy ◽

Gamma Ray Burst

ABSTRACT We examine the relationship between a number of long gamma-ray burst (lGRB) properties (isotropic emitted energy, luminosity, intrinsic duration, jet opening angle) and redshift. We find that even when accounting for conservative detector flux limits, there appears to be a significant correlation between isotropic equivalent energy and redshift, suggesting cosmological evolution of the lGRB progenitor. Analysing a sub-sample of lGRBs with jet opening angle estimates, we find the beaming-corrected lGRB emitted energy does not correlate with redshift, but jet opening angle does. Additionally, we find a statistically significant anticorrelation between the intrinsic prompt duration and redshift, even when accounting for potential selection effects. We also find that, for a given redshift, isotropic energy is positively correlated with intrinsic prompt duration. None of these GRB properties appear to be correlated with galactic offset. From our selection-effect-corrected redshift distribution, we estimate a co-moving rate density for lGRBs, and compare this to the global cosmic star formation rate (SFR). We find the lGRB rate mildly exceeds the global star formation rate between a redshift of 3 and 5, and declines rapidly at redshifts above this (although we cannot constrain the lGRB rate above a redshift of about 6 due to sample incompleteness). We find the lGRB rate diverges significantly from the SFR at lower redshifts. We discuss both the correlations and lGRB rate density in terms of various lGRB progenitor models and their apparent preference for low-metallicity environments.

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