The Swift Gamma-Ray Burst redshift distribution: selection biases and optical brightness evolution at high-z?

Abstract

We employ realistic constraints on astrophysical and instrumental selection effects to model the Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) redshift distribution using {\it Swift} triggered redshift samples acquired from optical afterglows (OA) and the TOUGH survey. Models for the Malmquist bias, redshift desert, and the fraction of afterglows missing because of host galaxy dust extinction, are used to show how the "true" GRB redshift distribution is distorted to its presently observed biased distribution. We also investigate another selection effect arising from a correlation between $E_{\mathrm{iso}}$ and $L_{\mathrm{opt}}$. The analysis, which accounts for the missing fraction of redshifts in the two data subsets, shows that a combination of selection effects (both instrumental and astrophysical) can describe the observed GRB redshift distribution. Furthermore, the observed distribution is compatible with a GRB rate evolution that tracks the global SFR, although the rate at high-$z$ cannot be constrained with confidence. Taking selection effects into account, it is not necessary to invoke high-energy GRB luminosity evolution with redshift to explain the observed GRB rate at high-$z$.

Version 2. Includes new data, figures and refined analysis

References in corpus (15)

• GROND - a 7-channel imager
• The Host Galaxies of Swift Dark Gamma-Ray Bursts: Observational Constraints on Highly Obscured and Very High-Redshift GRBs
• The optically unbiased GRB host (TOUGH) survey. I. Survey design and catalogs
• The redshift distribution of SWIFT Gamma-Ray Bursts: evidence for evolution
• Core-collapse supernovae missed by optical surveys
• The line-of-sight towards GRB 030429 at z = 2.66: Probing the matter at stellar, galactic and intergalactic scales
• Correlations of Prompt and Afterglow Emission in Swift Long and Short Gamma Ray Bursts
• The optically unbiased GRB host (TOUGH) survey. VI. Radio observations at z<1 and consistency with typical star-forming galaxies
• The redshift distribution of gamma-ray bursts revisited
• The extreme, red afterglow of GRB 060923A: Distance or dust?
• Dust extinction bias in the column density distribution of gamma-ray bursts; high column density, low redshift GRBs are more heavily obscured
• Where are the missing gamma ray burst redshifts?
• A redshift - observation-time relation for gamma-ray bursts: evidence of a distinct sub-luminous population
• Redshift distribution of gamma-ray bursts and star formation rate
• Luminosity Functions of Gamma-Ray Burst Afterglows

Cited by in corpus (37)

• Gravitational Waves and Gamma-rays from a Binary Neutron Star Merger: GW170817 and GRB 170817A
• The rate, luminosity function and time delay of non-Collapsar short GRBs
• The Konus-Wind catalog of gamma-ray bursts with known redshifts. I. Bursts detected in the triggered mode
• The Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Host Galaxy Legacy Survey - I. Sample Selection and Redshift Distribution
• Probing the Cosmic Gamma-Ray Burst Rate with Trigger Simulations of the Swift Burst Alert Telescope
• The X-shooter GRB afterglow legacy sample (XS-GRB)
• Estimating Long GRB Jet Opening Angles and Rest-Frame Energetics
• New measurements of ${\Omega }_m$ from gamma-ray bursts
• Cosmological Tests Using GRBs, the Star Formation Rate and Possible Abundance Evolution
• The Konus-Wind catalog of gamma-ray bursts with known redshifts. II. Waiting mode bursts simultaneously detected by Swift/BAT
• The formation rate of short gamma-ray bursts and gravitational waves
• Tracing dark energy history with gamma ray bursts
• Simultaneous event detection rates by electromagnetic and gravitational wave detectors in the Advanced Era of LIGO and Virgo
• Analysis of the duration--hardness ratio plane of gamma-ray bursts using skewed distributions
• Strong Lensing of Gamma Ray Bursts as a Probe of Compact Dark Matter
• Evidence for New Relations between Gamma Ray Burst Prompt and X-ray Afterglow Emission from 9 Years of Swift
• On the origin of short GRBs with Extended Emission and long GRBs without associated SN
• First Constraints on Compact Dark Matter from Fast Radio Burst Microstructure
• Constraining the rate and luminosity function of Swift gamma-ray bursts
• Strategies for Detecting the Missing Hot Baryons in the Universe
• Cosmic Evolution of Long Gamma-Ray Burst Luminosity
• Distributions of Pseudo-Redshifts and Durations (Observed and Intrinsic) of Fermi GRBs
• Two Dimensional Clustering of Gamma-Ray Bursts using durations and hardness
• The jet structure and the intrinsic luminosity function of short gamma-ray bursts
• Magnetar as Central Engine of Gamma-Ray Bursts: Central Engine-Jet Connection, Wind-Jet Energy Partition, and Origin of Some Ultra-Long Bursts
• How unbiased statistical methods lead to biased scientific discoveries: A case study of the Efron-Petrosian statistic applied to the luminosity-redshift evolution of Gamma-Ray Bursts
• Probing WHIM around Galaxy Clusters with Fast Radio Bursts and the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect
• Radio Observations of GRB Host Galaxies
• Time delays between Fermi LAT and GBM light curves of GRBs
• Research on the redshift evolution of luminosity function and selection effect of GRBs
• Fires in the deep: The luminosity distribution of early-time gamma-ray-burst afterglows in light of the Gamow Explorer sensitivity requirements
• The detection efficiency of on-axis short gamma ray burst optical afterglows triggered by aLIGO/Virgo
• A strong limit on the very-high-energy emission from GRB 150323A
• Machine Learning Model of the Swift/BAT Trigger Algorithm for Long GRB Population Studies
• Long Gamma Ray Bursts Trace The Star Formation History
• Statistical Analysis of the Parameters of Gamma-Ray Bursts with Known Redshifts and Peaked Optical Light Curves
• Selection biases in the gamma ray burst E${}_{\mathrm{iso}}$ -- L${}_{\mathrm{opt},\mathrm{X}}$ correlation