Gamma-ray bursts from massive Population-III stars: clues from the radio band
Abstract
Current models suggest gamma-ray bursts could be used as a way of probing Population-III stars - the first stars in the early Universe. In this paper, we use numerical simulations to demonstrate that late-time radio observations of gamma-ray burst afterglows could provide a means of identifying bursts that originate from Population-III stars, if these were highly massive, independently from their redshift. We then present the results from a pilot study using the Australia Telescope Compact Array at 17 GHz, designed to test the hypothesis that there may be Population-III gamma-ray bursts amongst the current sample of known events. We observed three candidates plus a control gamma-ray burst, and make no detections with upper limits of 20-40 μJy at 500-1300 d post-explosion.
- Publication:
-
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Pub Date:
- July 2016
- DOI:
- 10.1093/mnras/stw905
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1604.03946
- Bibcode:
- 2016MNRAS.459.3356B
- Keywords:
-
- radiation mechanisms: non-thermal;
- gamma-ray burst: general;
- radio continuum: general;
- X-rays: general;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
- E-Print:
- 7 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication by MNRAS