Comparing emission- and absorption-based gas-phase metallicities in GRB host galaxies at z=2-4 using JWST

Patricia Schady; R.M. Yates; L. Christensen; A. De Cia; A. Rossi; V. D'elia; K.E. Heintz; P. Jakobsson; T. Laskar; Andrew Levan; R. Salvaterra; R. L. C. Starling; Nial R. Tanvir; C. C. Thöne; S. D. Vergani; K. Wiersema; M. Arabsalmani; H. W. Chen; M. De Pasquale; A. S. Fruchter; J. P. U. Fynbo; Ruben Garcia-Benito; B. Gompertz; D. Hartmann; C. Kouveliotou; B. Milvang-Jensen; E. Palazzi; D. A. Perley; S. Piranomonte; G. Pugliese; Sandra Savaglio; B. Sbarufatti; S. Schulze; G. Tagliaferri; A. De Ugarte Postigo

doi:10.1093/mnras/stae677

Comparing emission- and absorption-based gas-phase metallicities in GRB host galaxies at z=2-4 using JWST

Patricia Schady, R.M. Yates, L. Christensen, A. De Cia, A. Rossi, V. D'elia, K.E. Heintz, P. Jakobsson, T. Laskar, Andrew Levan, R. Salvaterra, R. L. C. Starling, Nial R. Tanvir, C. C. Thöne, S. D. Vergani, K. Wiersema, M. Arabsalmani, H. W. Chen, M. De Pasquale, A. S. FruchterJ. P. U. Fynbo, Ruben Garcia-Benito, B. Gompertz, D. Hartmann, C. Kouveliotou, B. Milvang-Jensen, E. Palazzi, D. A. Perley, S. Piranomonte, G. Pugliese, Sandra Savaglio, B. Sbarufatti, S. Schulze, G. Tagliaferri, A. De Ugarte Postigo

Department of Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Much of what is known of the chemical composition of the universe is based on emission line spectra from star-forming galaxies. Emission-based inferences are, nevertheless, model-dependent and they are dominated by light from luminous star-forming regions. An alternative and sensitive probe of the metallicity of galaxies is through absorption lines imprinted on the luminous afterglow spectra of long gamma ray bursts (GRBs) from neutral material within their host galaxy. We present results from a JWST/NIRSpec programme to investigate for the first time the relation between the metallicity of neutral gas probed in absorption by GRB afterglows and the metallicity of the star-forming regions for the same host galaxy sample. Using an initial sample of eight GRB host galaxies at z = 2.1–4.7, we find a tight relation between absorption and emission line metallicities when using the recently proposed R̂ metallicity diagnostic (±0.2 dex). This agreement implies a relatively chemically homogeneous multiphase interstellar medium and indicates that absorption and emission line probes can be directly compared. However, the relation is less clear when using other diagnostics, such as R ₂₃ and R ₃. We also find possible evidence of an elevated N/O ratio in the host galaxy of GRB 090323 at z = 4.7, consistent with what has been seen in other z > 4 galaxies. Ultimate confirmation of an enhanced N/O ratio and of the relation between absorption and emission line metallicities will require a more direct determination of the emission line metallicity via the detection of temperature-sensitive auroral lines in our GRB host galaxy sample.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2807–2831
Number of pages	25
Journal	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume	529
Issue number	3
Early online date	5 Mar 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stae677
Publication status	Published - 1 Apr 2024

Data Availability Statement

The data underlying this article are available in the MAST Data Discovery Portal at https://stdatu.stsci.edu/datadownloads.html and can be accessed with proposal ID 2344.

Funding

We thank C. Ledoux for sharing the results from their absorption line analysis on the afterglow UVES spectrum of GRB 080804. PS acknowledges support from the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council, grant reference ST/X001067/1. LC is supported by DFF/Independent Research Fund Denmark, grant-ID 2032-00071. The Cosmic Dawn Center (DAWN) is funded by the Danish National Research Foundation under grant DNRF140. ADC acknowledges support from the Swiss National Science Foundation under grant 185692. AR acknowledges support from the INAF project Premiale Supporto Arizona & Italia. RGB acknowledges financial support from the Severo Ochoa grant CEX2021-001131-S funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and to PID2022-141755NB-I00.

Funders	Funder number
INAF-Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali
Danmarks Frie Forskningsfond	2032-00071
Severo Ochoa	MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, PID2022-141755NB-I00, CEX2021-001131-S
Science and Technology Facilities Council	ST/X001067/1
Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung	185692
Danmarks Grundforskningsfond	DNRF140

Keywords

ISM: abundances
galaxies: ISM
galaxies: abundances
galaxies: high-redshift
gamma-ray burst: general
quasars: absorption lines

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.1093/mnras/stae677Licence: CC BY

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2310.15967.pdf

Cite this

Schady, P., Yates, R. M., Christensen, L., De Cia, A., Rossi, A., D'elia, V., Heintz, K. E., Jakobsson, P., Laskar, T., Levan, A., Salvaterra, R., Starling, R. L. C., Tanvir, N. R., Thöne, C. C., Vergani, S. D., Wiersema, K., Arabsalmani, M., Chen, H. W., De Pasquale, M., ... De Ugarte Postigo, A. (2024). Comparing emission- and absorption-based gas-phase metallicities in GRB host galaxies at z=2-4 using JWST. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 529(3), 2807–2831. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stae677

Schady, P, Yates, RM, Christensen, L, De Cia, A, Rossi, A, D'elia, V, Heintz, KE, Jakobsson, P, Laskar, T, Levan, A, Salvaterra, R, Starling, RLC, Tanvir, NR, Thöne, CC, Vergani, SD, Wiersema, K, Arabsalmani, M, Chen, HW, De Pasquale, M, Fruchter, AS, Fynbo, JPU, Garcia-Benito, R, Gompertz, B, Hartmann, D, Kouveliotou, C, Milvang-Jensen, B, Palazzi, E, Perley, DA, Piranomonte, S, Pugliese, G, Savaglio, S, Sbarufatti, B, Schulze, S, Tagliaferri, G & De Ugarte Postigo, A 2024, 'Comparing emission- and absorption-based gas-phase metallicities in GRB host galaxies at z=2-4 using JWST', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, vol. 529, no. 3, pp. 2807–2831. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stae677

@article{56820458bf824e40a8b525226c35783d,

title = "Comparing emission- and absorption-based gas-phase metallicities in GRB host galaxies at z=2-4 using JWST",

abstract = "Much of what is known of the chemical composition of the universe is based on emission line spectra from star-forming galaxies. Emission-based inferences are, nevertheless, model-dependent and they are dominated by light from luminous star-forming regions. An alternative and sensitive probe of the metallicity of galaxies is through absorption lines imprinted on the luminous afterglow spectra of long gamma ray bursts (GRBs) from neutral material within their host galaxy. We present results from a JWST/NIRSpec programme to investigate for the first time the relation between the metallicity of neutral gas probed in absorption by GRB afterglows and the metallicity of the star-forming regions for the same host galaxy sample. Using an initial sample of eight GRB host galaxies at z = 2.1–4.7, we find a tight relation between absorption and emission line metallicities when using the recently proposed {\^R} metallicity diagnostic (±0.2 dex). This agreement implies a relatively chemically homogeneous multiphase interstellar medium and indicates that absorption and emission line probes can be directly compared. However, the relation is less clear when using other diagnostics, such as R 23 and R 3. We also find possible evidence of an elevated N/O ratio in the host galaxy of GRB 090323 at z = 4.7, consistent with what has been seen in other z > 4 galaxies. Ultimate confirmation of an enhanced N/O ratio and of the relation between absorption and emission line metallicities will require a more direct determination of the emission line metallicity via the detection of temperature-sensitive auroral lines in our GRB host galaxy sample.",

keywords = "ISM: abundances, galaxies: ISM, galaxies: abundances, galaxies: high-redshift, gamma-ray burst: general, quasars: absorption lines",

author = "Patricia Schady and R.M. Yates and L. Christensen and {De Cia}, A. and A. Rossi and V. D'elia and K.E. Heintz and P. Jakobsson and T. Laskar and Andrew Levan and R. Salvaterra and Starling, {R. L. C.} and Tanvir, {Nial R.} and Th{\"o}ne, {C. C.} and Vergani, {S. D.} and K. Wiersema and M. Arabsalmani and Chen, {H. W.} and {De Pasquale}, M. and Fruchter, {A. S.} and Fynbo, {J. P. U.} and Ruben Garcia-Benito and B. Gompertz and D. Hartmann and C. Kouveliotou and B. Milvang-Jensen and E. Palazzi and Perley, {D. A.} and S. Piranomonte and G. Pugliese and Sandra Savaglio and B. Sbarufatti and S. Schulze and G. Tagliaferri and {De Ugarte Postigo}, A.",

year = "2024",

month = apr,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1093/mnras/stae677",

language = "English",

volume = "529",

pages = "2807–2831",

journal = "Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society",

issn = "0035-8711",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

number = "3",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Comparing emission- and absorption-based gas-phase metallicities in GRB host galaxies at z=2-4 using JWST

AU - Schady, Patricia

AU - Yates, R.M.

AU - Christensen, L.

AU - De Cia, A.

AU - Rossi, A.

AU - D'elia, V.

AU - Heintz, K.E.

AU - Jakobsson, P.

AU - Laskar, T.

AU - Levan, Andrew

AU - Salvaterra, R.

AU - Starling, R. L. C.

AU - Tanvir, Nial R.

AU - Thöne, C. C.

AU - Vergani, S. D.

AU - Wiersema, K.

AU - Arabsalmani, M.

AU - Chen, H. W.

AU - De Pasquale, M.

AU - Fruchter, A. S.

AU - Fynbo, J. P. U.

AU - Garcia-Benito, Ruben

AU - Gompertz, B.

AU - Hartmann, D.

AU - Kouveliotou, C.

AU - Milvang-Jensen, B.

AU - Palazzi, E.

AU - Perley, D. A.

AU - Piranomonte, S.

AU - Pugliese, G.

AU - Savaglio, Sandra

AU - Sbarufatti, B.

AU - Schulze, S.

AU - Tagliaferri, G.

AU - De Ugarte Postigo, A.

PY - 2024/4/1

Y1 - 2024/4/1

N2 - Much of what is known of the chemical composition of the universe is based on emission line spectra from star-forming galaxies. Emission-based inferences are, nevertheless, model-dependent and they are dominated by light from luminous star-forming regions. An alternative and sensitive probe of the metallicity of galaxies is through absorption lines imprinted on the luminous afterglow spectra of long gamma ray bursts (GRBs) from neutral material within their host galaxy. We present results from a JWST/NIRSpec programme to investigate for the first time the relation between the metallicity of neutral gas probed in absorption by GRB afterglows and the metallicity of the star-forming regions for the same host galaxy sample. Using an initial sample of eight GRB host galaxies at z = 2.1–4.7, we find a tight relation between absorption and emission line metallicities when using the recently proposed R̂ metallicity diagnostic (±0.2 dex). This agreement implies a relatively chemically homogeneous multiphase interstellar medium and indicates that absorption and emission line probes can be directly compared. However, the relation is less clear when using other diagnostics, such as R 23 and R 3. We also find possible evidence of an elevated N/O ratio in the host galaxy of GRB 090323 at z = 4.7, consistent with what has been seen in other z > 4 galaxies. Ultimate confirmation of an enhanced N/O ratio and of the relation between absorption and emission line metallicities will require a more direct determination of the emission line metallicity via the detection of temperature-sensitive auroral lines in our GRB host galaxy sample.

AB - Much of what is known of the chemical composition of the universe is based on emission line spectra from star-forming galaxies. Emission-based inferences are, nevertheless, model-dependent and they are dominated by light from luminous star-forming regions. An alternative and sensitive probe of the metallicity of galaxies is through absorption lines imprinted on the luminous afterglow spectra of long gamma ray bursts (GRBs) from neutral material within their host galaxy. We present results from a JWST/NIRSpec programme to investigate for the first time the relation between the metallicity of neutral gas probed in absorption by GRB afterglows and the metallicity of the star-forming regions for the same host galaxy sample. Using an initial sample of eight GRB host galaxies at z = 2.1–4.7, we find a tight relation between absorption and emission line metallicities when using the recently proposed R̂ metallicity diagnostic (±0.2 dex). This agreement implies a relatively chemically homogeneous multiphase interstellar medium and indicates that absorption and emission line probes can be directly compared. However, the relation is less clear when using other diagnostics, such as R 23 and R 3. We also find possible evidence of an elevated N/O ratio in the host galaxy of GRB 090323 at z = 4.7, consistent with what has been seen in other z > 4 galaxies. Ultimate confirmation of an enhanced N/O ratio and of the relation between absorption and emission line metallicities will require a more direct determination of the emission line metallicity via the detection of temperature-sensitive auroral lines in our GRB host galaxy sample.

KW - ISM: abundances

KW - galaxies: ISM

KW - galaxies: abundances

KW - galaxies: high-redshift

KW - gamma-ray burst: general

KW - quasars: absorption lines

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85188705507&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1093/mnras/stae677

DO - 10.1093/mnras/stae677

M3 - Article

SN - 0035-8711

VL - 529

SP - 2807

EP - 2831

JO - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

JF - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

IS - 3

ER -

Comparing emission- and absorption-based gas-phase metallicities in GRB host galaxies at z=2-4 using JWST

Abstract

Data Availability Statement

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Astrophysics at the University of Bath 2023-2026

Cite this

Comparing emission- and absorption-based gas-phase metallicities in GRB host galaxies at z=2-4 using JWST

Abstract

Data Availability Statement

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

Astrophysics at the University of Bath 2023-2026

Cite this