Patrick B. Hall

The Multiwavelength Survey by Yale-Chile (MUSYC): Wide K-Band Imaging, Photometric Catalogs, Clustering, and Physical Properties of Galaxies at z ~ 2

We present K-band imaging of two � 30 0 ; 30 0 fields covered by the Multiwavelength Survey by Yale-Chile (MUSYC) Wide NIR Survey. The SDSS 1030+05 and Cast 1255 fields were imaged with the Infrared Side Port Imager(ISPI)onthe4mBlancotelescopeattheCerroTololoInter-American Observatory(CTIO)toa5 � point-source limitingdepthofK � 20(Vega).Combiningthese datawiththeMUSYCopticalUBVRIzimaging, wecreatedmultiband K-selected source catalogs for both fields. These catalogs, together with the MUSYC K-band catalog of the ExtendedChandraDeepFieldSouth(ECDF-S)field,wereusedtoselectK < 20BzKgalaxiesoveranareaof 0.71deg 2 . This is the largest area ever surveyed for BzK galaxies. We present number counts, redshift distributions, and stellar masses for our sample of 3261 BzK galaxies (2502 star-forming [sBzK] and 759 passively evolving [pBzK]), as well as reddening and star formation rate estimates for the star-forming BzK systems. We also present two-point angular correlation functions and spatial correlation lengths for both sBzK and pBzK galaxies and show that previous estimates of the correlation function of these galaxies were affected by cosmic variance due to the small areas surveyed. We have measured correlation lengths r0 of 8:89 � 2:03 and 10:82 � 1:72 Mpc for sBzK and pBzK galaxies, respec

Weak-Lensing Study of Low-Mass Galaxy Groups: Implications for Ω[TINF][ITAL]m[/ITAL][/TINF]

We report on the first measurement of the average mass and mass-to-light ratio of galaxy groups by analyzing the weak-lensing signal induced by these systems. The groups, which have velocity dispersions of 50-400 km s-1, have been selected from the Canadian Network for Observational Cosmology Field Galaxy Redshift Survey (CNOC2). This survey allows the identification of a large number of groups with redshifts ranging from z = 0.12 to 0.55, ideal for a weak-lensing analysis of their mass distribution. For our analysis we use a sample of 50 groups that are selected on the basis of a careful dynamical analysis of group candidates. We detect a signal at the 99% confidence limit. The best-fit singular isothermal sphere model yields an Einstein radius rE = 072 ± 029. This corresponds to a velocity dispersion of σ21/2 = 274 km s-1 (using photometric redshift distributions for the source galaxies), which is in good agreement with the dynamical estimate. Under the assumption that the light traces the mass, we find an average mass-to-light ratio of 191 ± 83 h M☉/LB☉ in the rest-frame B band. Unlike dynamical estimates, this result is insensitive to problems associated with determining group membership. After correction of the observed mass-to-light ratio for luminosity evolution to z = 0, we find 254 ± 110 h M☉/LB☉, lower than what is found for rich clusters. We use the observed mass-to-light ratio to estimate the matter density of the universe, for which we find Ωm = 0.19 ± 0.10 (ΩΛ = 0), in good agreement with other recent estimates. For a closed universe (Ωm + ΩΛ = 1), we obtain Ωm = 0.13 ± 0.07.

GRB 080503: Implications of a naked short gamma-ray burst dominated by extended emission

We report on observations of GRB 080503, a short gamma-ray burst (GRB) with very bright extended emission (about 30 times the gamma-ray fluence of the initial spike) in conjunction with a thorough comparison to other short Swiftxa0events. In spite of the prompt-emission brightness, however, the optical counterpart is extraordinarily faint, never exceeding 25 mag in deep observations starting at ~1 hr after the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) trigger. The optical brightness peaks at ~1 day and then falls sharply in a manner similar to the predictions of Li & Paczynski (1998) for supernova-like emission following compact binary mergers. However, a shallow spectral index and similar evolution in X-rays inferred from Chandra observations are more consistent with an afterglow interpretation. The extreme faintness of this probable afterglow relative to the bright gamma-ray emission argues for a very low density medium surrounding the burst (a naked GRB), consistent with the lack of a coincident host galaxy down to 28.5 mag in deep Hubble Space Telescope imaging. The late optical and X-ray peak could be explained by a slightly off-axis jet or by a refreshed shock. Our observations reinforce the notion that short GRBs generally occur outside regions of active star formation, but demonstrate that in some cases the luminosity of the extended prompt emission can greatly exceed that of the short spike, which may constrain theoretical interpretation of this class of events. This extended emission is not the onset of an afterglow, and its relative brightness is probably either a viewing-angle effect or intrinsic to the central engine itself. Because most previous BAT short bursts without observed extended emission are too faint for this signature to have been detectable even if it were present at typical level, conclusions based solely on the observed presence or absence of extended emission in the existing Swiftxa0sample are premature.

GRB 080503: IMPLICATIONS OF A NAKED SHORT GAMMA-RAY BURST DOMINATED BY EXTENDED EMISSION

We report on observations of GRB 080503, a short gamma-ray burst (GRB) with very bright extended emission (about 30 times the gamma-ray fluence of the initial spike) in conjunction with a thorough comparison to other short Swiftxa0events. In spite of the prompt-emission brightness, however, the optical counterpart is extraordinarily faint, never exceeding 25 mag in deep observations starting at ~1 hr after the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) trigger. The optical brightness peaks at ~1 day and then falls sharply in a manner similar to the predictions of Li & Paczynski (1998) for supernova-like emission following compact binary mergers. However, a shallow spectral index and similar evolution in X-rays inferred from Chandra observations are more consistent with an afterglow interpretation. The extreme faintness of this probable afterglow relative to the bright gamma-ray emission argues for a very low density medium surrounding the burst (a naked GRB), consistent with the lack of a coincident host galaxy down to 28.5 mag in deep Hubble Space Telescope imaging. The late optical and X-ray peak could be explained by a slightly off-axis jet or by a refreshed shock. Our observations reinforce the notion that short GRBs generally occur outside regions of active star formation, but demonstrate that in some cases the luminosity of the extended prompt emission can greatly exceed that of the short spike, which may constrain theoretical interpretation of this class of events. This extended emission is not the onset of an afterglow, and its relative brightness is probably either a viewing-angle effect or intrinsic to the central engine itself. Because most previous BAT short bursts without observed extended emission are too faint for this signature to have been detectable even if it were present at typical level, conclusions based solely on the observed presence or absence of extended emission in the existing Swiftxa0sample are premature.