Metallicity in the GRB 100316D/SN 2010bh Host Complex
Abstract
The recent long-duration GRB 100316D, associated with supernova SN 2010bh and detected by Swift, is one of the nearest gamma-ray burst (GRB)-supernovae (SNe) ever observed (z = 0.059). This provides us with a unique opportunity to study the explosion environment on ~kpc scale in relation to the host galaxy complex. Here we present spatially resolved spectrophotometry of the host galaxy, focusing on both the explosion site and the brightest star-forming regions. Using these data, we extract the spatial profiles of the relevant emission features (Hα, Hβ, [O III]λ5007, and [N II]λ6584) and use these profiles to examine variations in metallicity and star formation rate (SFR) as a function of position in the host galaxy. We conclude that GRB 100316D/SN2010bh occurred in a low-metallicity host galaxy, and that the GRB-SN explosion site corresponds to the region with the lowest metallicity and highest SFR sampled by our observations.
This paper includes data gathered with the 6.5 m Magellan Telescopes located at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile.- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- September 2011
- DOI:
- 10.1088/0004-637X/739/1/23
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1104.2865
- Bibcode:
- 2011ApJ...739...23L
- Keywords:
-
- galaxies: abundances;
- gamma-ray burst: individual: GRB 100316D;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena;
- Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies
- E-Print:
- 7 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal