[vsnet-grb-info 15367] GRB 140801A: Redshift from the 10.4m GTC telescope

[GCN Circulars]

TITLE:   GCN CIRCULAR
NUMBER:  16657
SUBJECT: GRB 140801A: Redshift from the 10.4m GTC telescope
DATE:    14/08/02 04:56:21 GMT
FROM:    Antonio de Ugarte Postigo at IAA-CSIC  <deugarte at iaa.es>

A. de Ugarte Postigo (IAA-CSIC, DARK/NBI), J. Gorosabel (IAA-CSIC, UPV/EHU), 
C.C. Thoene (IAA-CSIC), J.P.U. Fynbo (DARK/NBI), D. Xu (DARK/NBI), 
D. Perez-Valladares (GTC), and G. Gomez-Velarde (ULL-IAC, GTC) report on 
behalf of a larger collaboration:

We have observed the afterglow of the Fermi GRB140801A (Gorbovskoy et al. 
GCN 16653, Xu et al. GCN 16655) with the 10.4m GTC (+OSIRIS). Spectroscopic 
observations began at 3:35 UT (8.59 hr after the burst). The first 900 s spectrum 
was obtained with the R1000B grism, and covered the range between 3630 and 
7500 A, at a resolution of ~1000.

We detect a strong continuum with absorption features that correspond to NiII, 
MnII, FeII, MgII, and MgI at a common redshift of z=1.320, which we identify as the 
redshift of the GRB.

Further spectroscopic observations are ongoing.