Program: GS-2006A-Q-8

Title:Gamma Ray Bursts: From Progenitors to Probes
PI:Brian Schmidt
Co-I(s): Paul Price, Shrivinas Kulkarni, Edo Berger, Dale Frail, Kathy Roth, Maarten van Kerkwijk, Mike Dopita, Philipp Podsiadlowski, Isobel Hook, Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Bruce Peterson, Alicia Soderberg, Brad Cenko, Avishay Gal-Yam, Brian Cameron, Lennox Cowie

Abstract

We propose a comprehensive Gemini TOO program to leverage the superb array of facilities currently powering a revolution in our understanding of GRBs and enabling their application, for the first time, as probes of the early Universe. This program is specifically designed to address the nature of long and short GRBs, and to use bright afterglows as probes of the high-z universe, by taking advantage of Gemini's unique strengths (speed and instrument flexibility), and relegates non-time critical GRB observations to our programs on Keck and Magellan. To enable and complement the critical Gemini observations, we have organized an international team with exclusive access to premiere facilities including Keck, Magellan, Palomar, Las Campanas, the VLA, Chandra, Spitzer and HST.

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