Mass and metallicity scaling relations of high-redshift star-forming galaxies selected by GRBs

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mass and metallicity scaling relations of high-redshift star-forming galaxies selected by GRBs

AU - Arabsalmani, M.

AU - Møller, P.

AU - Perley, D.~A.

AU - Freudling, W.

AU - Fynbo, J.~P.~U.

AU - Le Floc'h, E.

AU - Zwaan, M.~A.

AU - Schulze, S.

AU - Tanvir, N.~R.

AU - Christensen, L.

AU - Levan, A.~J.

AU - Jakobsson, P.

AU - Malesani, D.

AU - Cano, Z.

AU - Covino, S.

AU - D'Elia, V.

AU - Goldoni, P.

AU - Gomboc, A.

AU - Heintz, K.~E.

AU - Sparre, M.

AU - Ugarte Postigo, Antonio de

AU - Vergani, S.~D.

PY - 2018/1/1

Y1 - 2018/1/1

N2 - We present a comprehensive study of the relations between gas kinematics, metallicity and stellar mass in a sample of 82 gamma-ray burst (GRB)-selected galaxies using absorption and emission methods. We find the velocity widths of both emission and absorption profiles to be a proxy of stellar mass. We also investigate the velocity-metallicity correlation and its evolution with redshift. Using 33 GRB hosts with measured stellar mass and metallicity, we study the mass-metallicity relation for GRB host galaxies in a stellarmass range of 108.2-1011.1M⊙ and a redshift range of z~0.3-3.4. TheGRB-selected galaxies appear to track themass-metallicity relation of star-forming galaxies but with an offset of 0.15 towards lower metallicities. This offset is comparable with the average error bar on the metallicity measurements of the GRB sample and also the scatter on the mass-metallicity relation of the general population. It is hard to decide whether this relatively small offset is due to systematic effects or the intrinsic nature of GRB hosts. We also investigate the possibility of using absorption-line metallicity measurements of GRB hosts to study the mass-metallicity relation at high redshifts. Our analysis shows that the metallicity measurements from absorption methods can significantly differ from emission metallicities and assuming identical measurements from the two methods may result in erroneous conclusions.

AB - We present a comprehensive study of the relations between gas kinematics, metallicity and stellar mass in a sample of 82 gamma-ray burst (GRB)-selected galaxies using absorption and emission methods. We find the velocity widths of both emission and absorption profiles to be a proxy of stellar mass. We also investigate the velocity-metallicity correlation and its evolution with redshift. Using 33 GRB hosts with measured stellar mass and metallicity, we study the mass-metallicity relation for GRB host galaxies in a stellarmass range of 108.2-1011.1M⊙ and a redshift range of z~0.3-3.4. TheGRB-selected galaxies appear to track themass-metallicity relation of star-forming galaxies but with an offset of 0.15 towards lower metallicities. This offset is comparable with the average error bar on the metallicity measurements of the GRB sample and also the scatter on the mass-metallicity relation of the general population. It is hard to decide whether this relatively small offset is due to systematic effects or the intrinsic nature of GRB hosts. We also investigate the possibility of using absorption-line metallicity measurements of GRB hosts to study the mass-metallicity relation at high redshifts. Our analysis shows that the metallicity measurements from absorption methods can significantly differ from emission metallicities and assuming identical measurements from the two methods may result in erroneous conclusions.

KW - gamma-ray burst: general, galaxies: evolution, galaxies: high-redshift, galaxies: ISM, galaxies: kinematics and dynamics, galaxies: star formation

U2 - 10.1093/mnras/stx2451

DO - 10.1093/mnras/stx2451

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0035-8711

VL - 473

SP - 3312

EP - 3324

JO - Royal Astronomical Society. Monthly Notices

JF - Royal Astronomical Society. Monthly Notices

ER -