{
  "bibcode": "2003GCN..1953....1V",
  "body": "Paul Vreeswijk (ESO), Ralph Wijers, Evert Rol (U. of Amsterdam), and\nJens Hjorth (U. of Copenhagen) report for the GRACE collaboration:\n\nThe field of GRB 030323 (HETE trigger 2640) was observed last night\n(March 24/25) in spectroscopic mode with FORS2 at unit-4 of ESO's VLT\nat Paranal, Chile. The total exposure time was 1 hour in the 300V and\n300I grisms, covering approximately 4000-9300 A with a resolution of\nabout 12 A. The slit (1\" wide) was positioned to cover the position of\nthe presumed afterglow (Gilmore, Kilmartin & Henden, GCN 1949; see\nalso GCN 1952), as well as a nearby reference object.\n\nPreliminary reduction of the 300V spectra of the candidate afterglow\nshows very strong absorption over the range 516-545 nm, presumably a\ncomplex of Ly alpha clouds around z = 3.3-3.4. The detection of\nnumerous narrow lines is consistent with this interpretation: we can\nidentify these with metal-absorption lines (SiII, OI, CII, SiIV, CIV,\nAlII) at a redshift of z = 3.372. These Ly alpha and metal-absorption\nlines probably originate in the host galaxy of GRB 030323.\n\nWe appreciate the assistance of the ESO staff at Paranal; in\nparticular of Thomas Szeifert and Olivier Marco.",
  "circularId": 1953,
  "createdOn": 1048572132000,
  "email": "pvreeswi@eso.org",
  "subject": "VLT/FORS2 spectra of GRB 030323",
  "submitter": "Paul Vreeswijk at ESO  <pvreeswi@eso.org>",
  "eventId": "GRB 030323"
}