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Gamma-ray bursts are powerful probes of the early universe, but locating and identifying very distant GRBs remains challenging. We report here the discovery of the K-band afterglow of Swift GRB 060923A, imaged within the first hour post-burst, and the faintest so far found. It was not detected in any bluer bands to deep limits, making it a candidate very high redshift burst (z>11). However, our later-time optical imaging and spectroscopy reveal a faint galaxy coincident with the GRB position which, if it is the host, implies a more moderate redshift (most likely z<2.8) and therefore that dust is the likely cause of the very red afterglow colour. This being the case, it is one of the few instances so far found of a GRB afterglow with high dust extinction., Comment: Submitted to MNRAS (revised in light of referee's comments)

We present the optical-to-submm spectral energy distributions for 33 radio & mid-IR identified submillimetre galaxies discovered via the SHADES 850 micron SCUBA imaging in the Subaru-XMM Deep Field (SXDF). Optical data for the sources comes from the Subaru-XMM Deep Field (SXDF) and mid- and far-IR fluxes from SWIRE. We obtain photometric redshift estimates for our sources using optical and IRAC 3.6 and 4.5 micron fluxes. We then fit spectral energy distribution (SED) templates to the longer wavelength data to determine the nature of the far-IR emission that dominates the bolometric luminosity of these sources. The infrared template fits are also used to resolve ambiguous identifications and cases of redshift aliasing. The redshift distribution obtained broadly matches previous results for submm sources and on the SHADES SXDF field. Our template fitting finds that AGN, present in about 10% of sources, do not contribute significantly to their bolometric luminosity. Dust heating by starbursts, with either Arp220 or M82 type SEDs, appears to be responsible for the luminosity in most sources (23/33 are fitted by Arp220 templates, 2/33 by the warmer M82 templates). 8/33 sources, in contrast, are fit by a cooler cirrus dust template, suggesting that cold dust has a role in some of these highly luminous objects. Three of our sources appear to have multiple identifications or components at the same redshift, but we find no statistical evidence that close associations are common among our SHADES sources. Examination of rest-frame K -band luminosity suggests that 'downsizing' is underway in the submm galaxy population, with lower redshift systems lying in lower mass host galaxies. Of our 33 identifications six are found to be of lower reliability but their exclusion would not significantly alter our conclusions., Comment: MNRAS in press

The most massive haloes at high redshift are expected, according to hierarchical cosmologies, to reside in the most biased density fields. If powerful active galactic nuclei (AGN) are expected to exist anywhere in the early Universe (z>5), it is within these massive haloes. The most luminous of these AGN, powered by supermassive black holes (SMBHs) ~10^9Msun, thereby present an opportunity to test models of galaxy formation. Here, we present submillimetre (submm) continuum images of the fields of three luminous quasars at z>5, obtained at 850 and 450um using the Submm Common-User Bolometer Array (SCUBA) on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT). N-body simulations predict that such quasars evolve to become the central dominant galaxies of massive clusters at z=0, but at z=5-6 they are actively forming stars and surrounded by a rich proto-filamentary structure of young galaxies. Our images show evidence of extended emission on a scale of ~100kpc from at least one quasar - indicative of a partially resolved merger or a colossal host galaxy. In addition, at >3sigma significance we detect 12 (5) submm galaxies (SMGs) at 850um (450um) in the surrounding fields. Number counts of these SMGs are systematically overabundant relative to blank-field submm surveys. Whilst the redshift-sensitive 850um/450um and 850um/1.4GHz flux density ratios indicate that some of these SMGs are likely foreground objects, the counts suggest that many probably lie in the same large-scale structures as the quasars., Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures. Submitted to MNRAS

We have studied the submillimetre (submm) properties of the following classes of near-infrared (NIR)-selected massive galaxies at high redshifts: BzK-selected star-forming galaxies (BzKs); distant red galaxies (DRGs); and extremely red objects (EROs). We used the SCUBA HAlf Degree Extragalactic Survey (SHADES), the largest uniform submm survey to date. Partial overlap of SIRIUS/NIR images and SHADES in SXDF has allowed us to identify 4 submm-bright NIR-selected galaxies, which are detected in the mid-infrared, 24 micron, and the radio, 1.4 GHz. We find that all of our submm-bright NIR-selected galaxies satisfy the BzK selection criteria, except for one galaxy whose B-z and z-K colours are however close to the BzK colour boundary. Two of the submm-bright NIR-selected galaxies satisfy all of the selection criteria we considered, i.e. they belong to the BzK-DRG-ERO overlapping population, or `extremely red' BzKs. Although these extremely red BzKs are rare (0.25 arcmin^{-2}), up to 20 % of this population could be submm galaxies. This fraction is significantly higher than that found for other galaxy populations studied here. Via a stacking analysis, we have detected the 850 micron flux of submm-faint BzKs and EROs in our SCUBA maps. While the contribution of z~2 BzKs to the submm background is about 10--15 % and similar to that from EROs typically at z~1, BzKs have a higher fraction (~30 %) of submm flux in resolved sources compared with EROs and submm sources as a whole. From the SED fitting analysis for both submm-bright and submm-faint BzKs, we found no clear signature that submm-bright BzKs are experiencing a specifically luminous evolutionary phase, compared with submm-faint BzKs. An alternative explanation might be that submm-bright BzKs are more massive than submm-faint ones., Comment: 20 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

We present deep optical and infrared observations of the short duration GRB 050906. Although no X-ray or optical/IR afterglow was discovered to deep limits, the error circle of the GRB (as derived from the Swift BAT) is unusual incontaining the relatively local starburst galaxy IC328. This makes GRB 050906 a candidate burst from a soft-gamma repeater, similar to the giant flare from SGR 1806-20. The probability of chance alignment of a given BAT position with such a galaxy is small (<1%), although the size of the error circle (2.6 arcminute radius) is such that a higher-z origin can't be ruled out. Indeed, the error circle also includes a moderately rich galaxy cluster at z=0.43, which is a plausible location for the burst given the apparent preference that short GRBs have for regions of high mass density. No residual optical or infrared emission has been observed, either in the form of an afterglow or later time emission from any associated supernova-like event. We discuss the constraints these limits place on the progenitor of GRB 050906 based on the expected optical signatures from both SGRs and merging compact object systems., Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

We have compiled the largest sample of multiwavelength spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of Broad Absorption Line (BAL) quasars to date, from the radio to the X-ray. We present new Spitzer MIPS (24, 70, and 160 micron) observations of 38 BAL quasars in addition to data from the literature and public archives. In general, the mid-infrared properties of BAL quasars are consistent with those of non-BAL quasars of comparable luminosity. In particular, the optical-to-mid-infrared luminosity ratios of the two populations are indistinguishable. We also measure or place upper limits on the contribution of star formation to the far-infrared power. Of 22 (57%) upper limits, seven quasars have sufficiently sensitive constraints to conclude that star formation likely contributes little (<20%) to their far-infrared power. The 17 BAL quasars (45%) with detected excess far-infrared emission likely host hyperluminous starbursts with L_fir,SF=10^{13-14} L_sun. Mid-infrared through X-ray composite BAL quasar SEDs are presented, incorporating all of the available photometry. Overall, we find no compelling evidence for inherent differences between the SEDs of BAL vs. non-BAL quasars of comparable luminosity. Therefore a ``cocoon'' picture of a typical BAL quasar outflow whereby the wind covers a large fraction of the sky is not supported by the mid-infrared SED comparison with normal quasars, and the disk-wind paradigm with a typical radio-quiet quasar hosting a BAL region remains viable., Comment: 21 pages, LaTeX, uses emulateapj. 12 figures (2 color). Accepted for publication in ApJ

We investigate the origin of the GRB 060912A, which has observational properties that make its classification as either a long or short burst ambiguous. Short duration GRBs (SGRBs) are thought to have typically lower energies than long duration bursts, can be found in galaxies with populations of all ages and are likely to originate from different progenitors to the long duration bursts. However, it has become clear that duration alone is insufficient to make a distinction between the two populations in many cases, leading to a desire to find additional discriminators of burst type. GRB 060912A had a duration of 6 s and occurred only ~10 arcsec from a bright, low redshift ($z=0.0936$) elliptical galaxy, suggesting that this may have been the host, which would favour it being a short-burst. However, our deep optical imaging and spectroscopy of the location of GRB 060912A using the VLT shows that GRB 060912A more likely originates in a distant star forming galaxy at z=0.937, and is most likely a long burst. This demonstrates the risk in identifying bright, nearby galaxies as the hosts of given GRBs without further supporting evidence. Further, it implies that, in the absence of secure identifications, "host" type, or more broadly discriminators which rely on galaxy redshifts, may not be good indicators of the true nature of any given GRB., Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

Using the SCUBA bolometer array on the JCMT, we have carried out a submillimetre survey of Broad Absorption Line quasars (BALQs). The sample has been chosen to match, in redshift and optical luminosity, an existing benchmark 850um sample of radio-quiet quasars, allowing a direct comparison of the submm properties of BAL quasars relative to the parent radio-quiet population. We reach a submm limit 1.5mJy at 850um, allowing a more rigorous measure of the submm properties of BAL quasars than previous studies. Our submm photometry complements extensive observations at other wavelengths, in particular X-rays with Chandra and mid-infrared with Spitzer. To compare the 850um flux distribution of BALQs with that of the non-BAL quasar benchmark sample, we employ a suite of statistical methods, including survival analysis and a novel Bayesian derivation of the underlying flux distribution. Although there are no strong grounds for rejecting the null hypothesis that BALQs on the whole have the same submm properties as non-BAL quasars, we do find tentative evidence (1-4 percent significance from a K-S test and survival analysis) for a dependence of submm flux on the equivalent width of the characteristic CIV broad absorption line. If this effect is real - submm activity is linked to the absorption strength of the outflow - it has implications either for the evolution of AGN and their connection with star formation in their host galaxies, or for unification models of AGN., Comment: Replaced with published version: minor corrections. 11 pages, 4 figures. MNRAS, in press

Recent progress on the nature of short duration Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) has shown that a fraction of them originate in the local universe. These systems may well be the result of giant flares from Soft Gamma Repeaters (SGRs) believed to be magnetars (neutron stars with extremely large magnetic fields >= 10^14 G). If these magnetars are formed via the core collapse of massive stars, then it would be expected that the bursts should originate from predominantly young stellar populations. However, correlating the positions of BATSE short bursts with structure in the local universe reveals a correlation with all galaxy types, including those with little or no ongoing star formation. This is a natural outcome if, in addition to magnetars forming via the core collapse of massive stars, they also form via Accretion Induced Collapse following the merger of two white dwarfs, one of which is magnetic. We investigate this possibility and find that the rate of magnetar production via WD-WD mergers in the Milky Way is comparable to the rate of production via core collapse. However, while the rate of magnetar production by core collapse is proportional to the star formation rate, the rate of production via WD-WD mergers (which have long lifetimes) is proportional to the stellar mass density, which is concentrated in early-type systems. Therefore magnetars produced via WD-WD mergers may produce SGR giant flares which can be identified with early type galaxies. We also comment on the possibility that this mechanism could produce a fraction of the observed short duration GRB population at low redshift., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures. Included in Proceedings of EuroWD06 to be published in Conference Series of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific

Context: Before the launch of the Swift satellite, the majority of the gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglows for which Ly-alpha was redshifted into the observable spectrum showed evidence for a damped Ly-alpha absorber. This small sample indicated that GRBs explode either in galaxies, or regions within them, having high neutral hydrogen column densities. Aims: To increase the spectroscopic sample of GRBs with z > 2 and hence establish the N(HI) distribution along GRB lines-of-sight. Methods: We have obtained six z > 2 GRB afterglow spectra and fitted the Ly-alpha absorption line in each case to determine N(HI). This has been complemented with 12 other Swift N(HI) values from the literature. Results: We show that the peak of the GRB N(HI) distribution is qualitatively consistent with a model where GRBs originate in Galactic-like molecular clouds. However, a systematic difference, in particular an excess of low column-density systems compared to the predictions, indicates that selection effects and conditions within the cloud (e.g. strong ionization) influence the observed N(HI) range. We also report the discovery of Ly-alpha emission from the GRB 060714 host, corresponding to a star-formation rate of approximately 0.8 M_Sun/year. Finally, we present accurate redshifts of the six bursts: z = 3.240 +/- 0.001 (GRB 050319), z = 2.198 +/- 0.002 (GRB 050922C), z = 3.221 +/- 0.001 (GRB 060526), z = 3.425 +/- 0.002 (GRB 060707), z = 2.711 +/- 0.001 (GRB 060714) and z = 3.686 +/- 0.002 (GRB 060906)., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A Letters. Various changes to text after referee comments. GRB 060926 added to Fig 3

We present the maps, source catalogue and number counts of the largest, most complete and unbiased extragalactic submillimetre survey ever undertaken: the 850-micron SCUBA HAlf Degree Extragalactic Survey (SHADES). Using the Submillimetre Common-User Bolometer Array (SCUBA) on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT), SHADES mapped two separate regions of sky: the Subaru/XMM-Newton Deep Field (SXDF) and the Lockman Hole East (LH). These SCUBA maps cover 720 square arcmin with an RMS noise level of about 2 mJy and have uncovered >100 submillimetre galaxies. In order to ensure the utmost robustness of the resulting source catalogue, data reduction was independently carried out by four sub-groups drawn within the SHADES team, providing an unprecedented degree of reliability with respect to other SCUBA catalogues available from the literature. Individual source lists from the four groups were combined to produce a robust 120-object SHADES catalogue; an invaluable resource for follow-up campaigns aiming to study the properties of a complete and consistent sample of submillimetre galaxies. We present differential and integral source number counts of submillimetre galaxies and find that the differential counts are better fit with a broken power-law or a Schechter function than with a single power-law; the SHADES data alone significantly show that a break is required at several mJy, although the precise position of the break is not well constrained. We also find that an 850-micron survey complete down to 2 mJy would resolve 20-30 per cent of the Far-IR background into point sources. [abridged], Comment: 36 pages including 21 figures and 8 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRAS. Plain-text source catalogue available on the SHADES website http://www.roe.ac.uk/ifa/shades

We present the discovery of XRF 050215B and its afterglow. The burst was detected by the Swift BAT during the check-out phase and observations with the X-ray telescope began approximately 30 minutes after the burst. These observations found a faint, slowly fading X-ray afterglow near the centre of the error box as reported by the BAT. Infrared data, obtained at UKIRT after 10 hours also revealed a very faint K-band afterglow. The afterglow appear unusual since it is very faint, especially in the infrared with K>20 only 9 hours post burst. The X-ray and infrared lightcurves exhibit a slow, monotonic decay with alpha=0.8 and no evidence for steepening associated with the jet break to 10 days post burst. We discuss possible explanations for the faintness and slow decay in the context of present models for the production of X-ray Flashes., Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

We present millimetre (mm) and submillimetre (submm) photometry of a sample of host galaxies of Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs), obtained using the MAMBO2 and SCUBA bolometer arrays respectively. These observations were obtained as part of an ongoing project to investigate the status of GRBs as indicators of star formation. Our targets include two of the most unusual GRB host galaxies, selected as likely candidate submm galaxies: the extremely red (R-K approx 5) host of GRB 030115, and the extremely faint (R>29.5) host of GRB 020124. Neither of these galaxies is detected, but the deep upper limits for GRB 030115 impose constraints on its spectral energy distribution. As a framework for interpreting these data, and for predicting the results of forthcoming submm surveys of Swift-derived host samples, we model the expected flux and redshift distributions based on luminosity functions of both submm galaxies and GRBs, assuming a direct proportionality between the GRB rate density and the global star formation rate density. We derive the effects of possible sources of uncertainty in these assumptions, including an anticorrelation between GRB rate and the global average metallicity., Comment: MNRAS, in press. 8 pages, 4 figures

We present optical and X-ray observations of the afterglow and host galaxy of the short-hard GRB 060121. The faint R-band afterglow is seen to decline as t^(-0.66) while the X-ray falls as t^-1.18, indicating the presence of the cooling break between the two frequencies. However, the R-band afterglow is very faint compared to the predicted extrapolation of the X-ray afterglow to the optical regime (specifically, beta_OX ~ 0.2), while the K-band is consistent with this extrapolation (beta_KX ~ 0.6), demonstrating suppression of the optical flux. Late time {\it HST} observations place stringent limits on the afterglow R-band flux implying a break in the R-band lightcurve. They also show that the burst occurred at the edge of a faint red galaxy which most likely lies at a significantly higher redshift than the previous optically identified short-duration bursts. Several neighboring galaxies also have very red colors that are similarly suggestive of higher redshift. We consider possible explanations for the faintness and color of the burst. Our preferred model is that the burst occurred at moderately high redshift and was significantly obscured; however, it is also possible that the burst lies at z > 4.5 in which case the faintness of the R-band afterglow could be attributed to the Lyman-break. We discuss the implications that either scenario would have for the nature of the progenitors of short bursts., Comment: 4 pages, 2 Figures - submitted to ApJ Letters

Aim: We present early optical spectroscopy of the afterglow of the gamma-ray burst GRB 060206 with the aim of determining the metallicity of the GRB absorber and the physical conditions in the circumburst medium. We also discuss how GRBs may be important complementary probes of cosmic chemical evolution. Method: Absorption line study of the GRB afterglow spectrum. Results: We determine the redshift of the GRB to be z=4.04795+/-0.00020. Based on the measurement of the neutral hydrogen column density from the damped Lyman-alpha line and the metal content from weak, unsaturated Sii lines we derive a metallicity of [S/H] =-0.84+/-0.10. This is one of the highest metallicities measured from absorption lines at z~4. From the very high column densities for the forbidden Siii*, Oi*, and Oi** lines we infer very high densities and low temperatures in the system. There is evidence for the presence of H$_2$ molecules with logN(H_2) ~ 17.0, translating into a molecular fraction of logf \~ -3.5 with f=2N(H_2)/(2N(H_2)+ N(Hi)). Even if GRBs are only formed by single massive stars with metallicities below ~0.3Z(solar), they could still be fairly unbiased tracers of the bulk of the star formation at z>2. Hence, metallicities as derived for GRB060206 here for a complete sample of GRB afterglows will directly show the distribution of metallicities for representative star-forming galaxies at these redshifts., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A Letters

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) divide into two classes: "long", which typically have initial durations of T90>2s, and "short", with durations of T90<2s (where T90 is the time to detect 90% of the observed fluence). Long bursts, which on average have softer gamma-ray spectra, are known to be associated with with stellar core-collapse events-- in some cases simultaneously producing powerful Type Ic supernovae. In contrast, the origin of short bursts has remained mysterious until recently. A subsecond intense "spike" of gamma-rays during a giant flare from the Galactic soft gamma-ray repeater, SGR 1806-20, reopened an old debate over whether some short GRBs could be similar events seen in galaxies out to ~70Mpc (redshift z=0.016). Shortly after that, localizations of a few short GRBs (with optical afterglows detected in two cases) have shown an apparent association with a variety of host galaxies at moderate redshifts. Here we report a correlation between the locations of previously observed short bursts and the positions of galaxies in the local Universe, indicating that between 10 and 25 per cent of short GRBs originate at low redshifts (z<0.025)., Comment: To appear in Nature, 15th December 2005. Replaced with published version

We report 250GHz (1.2mm) observations of redshift 1.8 < z < 2.8 optically luminous (M_B < -27.0), radio quiet quasars using the Max-Planck Millimeter Bolometer (MAMBO) array at the IRAM 30-metre telescope. Nine quasars were detected and for 26 quasars 3-sigma flux density limits in the range 1.8 to 4mJy were obtained. Adopting a typical dust temperature of 45K, the millimeter emission implies far-infrared (FIR) luminosities of order 10^13 Lo and dust masses of ~10^8 Mo. Applying a statistical survival analysis to our total sample of 43 detected and 95 undetected quasars at z~2 and z>4, we find that there is no apparent difference in the FIR luminosities, hence the star formation rates, of QSO at z~2 and at 3.6< z <5. This differs from radio galaxies, for which the FIR luminosity was found to increase with redshift (Archibald et al. 2001). We furthermore find that there is no strong correlation between the far-infrared and optical luminosities, confirming previous results obtained on smaller samples., Comment: 10 pages, 5 Postscript figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics Journal