GCN Circular 6262
Subject
GRB 070406: Bright galaxy in XRT error circle is a quasar
Date
2007-04-09T14:55:06Z (17 years ago)
From
Edo Berger at Carnegie Obs <eberger@ociw.edu>
E. Berger (Carnegie), D.B. Fox (Penn State), and E. Ofek (Caltech) report
on behalf of a larger collaboration:
"Starting on 2007 April 8.31 UT we used the Gemini Multi-Object
Spectrograph (GMOS) on Gemini-North to obtain a spectrum of the bright
galaxy located in the XRT error circle of the possible afterglow of GRB
070406 (GCNs 6255,6256,6259). We detect a narrow [OII] emission line and
broad H-gamma and H-delta emission features at z=0.703. The broad H-gamma
and H-delta lines are indicative of a quasar spectrum, and it is therefore
likely that the X-ray emission detected with XRT is due to AGN activity
and not the afterglow of GRB 070406. Further XRT observations are
essential to confirm fading versus long-term variability."