The host galaxy of GRB031203: a new spectroscopic study

Abstract

The host galaxy of the long-duration gamma-ray burst (GRB) 031203 (HG031203) offers a precious opportunity to study in detail the environment of a nearby GRB. The aim is to better characterize this galaxy and analyse the possible evolution with time of the spectroscopic quantities we derive. We analyse HG031203 using a set of optical spectra acquired with the ESO-VLT and Keck telescope. We compare the metallicity, luminosity and star formation properties of this galaxy and of the other supernova-long gamma-ray burst hosts in the local universe (z<0.2) against the KPNO International Spectroscopic Survey. HG031203 is a metal poor, actively star forming galaxy (star formation rate of 12.9+/-2.2 {M_{sun} yr^-1) at z=0.1054. From the emission-line analysis we derive an intrinsic reddening E_{HG}(B-V)\approx 0.4. This parameter doesn't show a compelling evidence of evolution at a month time-scale. We find an interstellar medium temperature of 12500 K and an electronic density of N_{e}=160 cm^-3. After investigating for possible Wolf-Rayet emission features in our spectra, we consider dubious the classification of HG031203 as a Wolf-Rayet galaxy. Long gamma-ray burst (LGRB) and supernova hosts in the local universe (z<0.2) show, on average, specific star formation rates higher than ordinary star forming galaxy at the same redshift. On the other hand, we find that half of the hosts follows the metallicity-luminosity relation found for star-burst galaxies; HG031203 is a clear outlier, with its really low metallicity (12+\log{O/H}=8.12+/-0.04).

12 pages, 10 figures. Accepted by A&A

References in corpus (14)

• Long gamma-ray bursts and core-collapse supernovae have different environments
• No supernovae associated with two long-duration gamma ray bursts
• An enigmatic long-lasting gamma-ray burst not accompanied by a bright supernova
• UV star-formation rates of GRB host galaxies
• Early-Time Photometry and Spectroscopy of the Fast Evolving SN 2006AJ Associated with GRB 060218
• Models for the Type Ic Hypernova SN 2003lw associated with GRB 031203
• On the nature of nearby GRB/SN host galaxies
• Detection of Wolf-Rayet stars in host galaxies of Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs): are GRBs produced by runaway massive stars ejected from high stellar density regions ?
• The metallicity dependence of the long-duration GRB rate from host galaxy luminosities
• The GRB 030329 host: a blue low metallicity subluminous galaxy with intense star formation
• The nature of the dwarf starforming galaxy associated with GRB 060218 / SN2006aj
• A new type of long gamma--ray burst
• The host galaxies of long-duration GRBs in a cosmological hierarchical scenario
• Massive star-formation rates of gamma-ray burst host galaxies: an unobscured view in X-rays

Cited by in corpus (3)

• Measured Metallicities at the Sites of Nearby Broad-Lined Type Ic Supernovae and Implications for the SN-GRB Connection
• IFU observations of the GRB 980425/SN 1998bw host galaxy: emission line ratios in GRB regions
• Modeling The GRB Host Galaxy Mass Distribution: Are GRBs Unbiased Tracers of Star Formation?