Gamma-ray bursts from massive Population-III stars: clues from the radio band

Abstract

Current models suggest gamma-ray bursts could be used as a way of probing Population-III stars - the first stars in the early Universe. In this paper, we use numerical simulations to demonstrate that late-time radio observations of gamma-ray burst afterglows could provide a means of identifying bursts that originate from Population-III stars, if these were highly massive, independently from their redshift. We then present the results from a pilot study using the Australia Telescope Compact Array at 17 GHz, designed to test the hypothesis that there may be Population-III gamma-ray bursts amongst the current sample of known events. We observed three candidates plus a control gamma-ray burst, and make no detections with upper limits of 20-40 μJy at 500-1300 d post-explosion.