Project Details
Projekt
Exploring the universe with gamma-ray bursts
Applicant
Dr. Sandra Savaglio
Subject Area
Astrophysics and Astronomy
Term
from 2009 to 2011
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 124457882
Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) are the most powerful explosions in the universe, induced by massive stars (supernovae) or merging of compact objects (neutron stars & black holes). Though rare (1 event every 105 years in a galaxy) they are so bright that they can be used to shed light on the darkest and farthest side of the universe, in unprecedented detail. GRBs are among the best cosmological probes. Our aim is to investigate different aspects of the forming and evolving universe. These include: (i) evolution of the chemical state of galaxies at 0 < z < 13; (ii) formation of the first collapsed objects at z > 6; (iii) formation and evolution of small galaxies; (iv) physical state of the interstellar and intergalactic medium. Our program foresees the use of multiband imager GROND on the 2.2m ESO telescope for photometric redshifts of GRBs detected by satellites Swift, AGILE, INTEGRAL and Fermi. This will trigger spectroscopic programs making use of guaranteed time at the VLT optical/near-IR spectrograph X-Shooter. New discoveries will be included in our GHostS (GRB Host Studies), the largest public database on GRB host galaxies. GHostS will be expanded to superGHostS, for a final sample four times larger than at present (~ 200 GRB hosts).
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
