Program: GS-2009B-Q-5

Rapid observations of gamma-ray bursts are critical to probing their exotic physics and using GRBs themselves as probes of the universe. Our collaboration has been very successful in using Gemini (together with a network of other facilities), to study distant and extreme bursts, and explore the diversity of progenitors which produce them. Our primary goals are (i) to detect afterglows and hosts, and measure redshifts for the class of short-duration bursts, whose nature, despite recent breakthroughs, remains enigmatic, (ii) to locate and study GRBs at very high redshifts (z>5) where they provide a window on early galaxy evolution and the IGM, (iii) to construct a more complete redshift sample of GRBs and constrain the redshift evolution of the mass-metallicity relation, (iv) in conjunction with X-ray (Swift/Chandra/XMM) and high-energy gamma ray (Fermi) data, to test the standard jetted, relativistic fireball models.