IAU00815
Presentation type requested: ORAL
ARE THE COSMIC GRBS RELIABLE TRACERS OF STAR FORMATION ?
Emeric Le floc'h
CEA - Service d'Astrophysique (France)
Present knowledge indicates that some of the cosmic Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) originate from the collapse of massive stars. Because gamma-rays are not affected by dust, GRBs could be used as unbiased tracers of star formation in the distant Universe. However, the current sample of their host galaxies does not seem to be accurately representative of the whole ensemble of star-forming sources observed at cosmological distances. The lack of massive and/or red starbursts such as those detected in the ISO/SCUBA deep surveys or among the population of the Extremely Red Objects may indeed indicate a bias toward dust-free, faint and blue galaxies. I propose to discuss the potential features affecting the current selection of distant starbursts with such GRB events.
Duc Pierre-alain , Mirabel Felix , Sanders Dave , Combes Francoise , Kneib Jean-paul , Bosch Guillermo , Courvoisier Thierry , Minniti Dante , Greiner Jochen
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