TITLE: GCN CIRCULAR NUMBER: 40266 SUBJECT: EP250427a / GRB 250427A: VLT/X-shooter redshift confirmation z = 1.520 DATE: 25/04/27 15:39:47 GMT FROM: Daniele B. Malesani at IMAPP / Radboud University d.malesani@astro.ru.nl

A. Saccardi (CEA/Irfu), V. Abril-Melgarejo (LUX-Paris Obs.), Z. P. Zhu (NAOC), V. D’Elia (ASI/SSDC), A. J. Levan (Radboud and Warwick), D. B. Malesani (DAWN/NBI and Radboud), A. Martin-Carrillo (UCD), B. Schneider (LAM), N. R. Tanvir (Leicester), A. L. Thakur (INAF/IAPS), S. D. Vergani (LUX-Paris Obs.), K. Wiersema (Hertfordshire), D. Xu (NAOC), report on behalf of the Stargate collaboration:

We observed the optical counterpart (Perez-Garcia et al., GCN 40259; Liu et al., GCN 40260; Becerra et al., GCN 40261; Brivio et al., GCN 40264) of EP250427a / GRB 250427A (Wang et al., GCN 40257; Ravasio et al., GCN 40262) using the ESO VLT UT3 (Melipal) equipped with the X-shooter spectrograph. Our spectra cover the wavelength range 3000-21,000 AA, and consist of 2 exposures of 600 s each. The observation mid time was 2025 Apr 27.394 UT (5.80 hr after the GRB).

In a 30-s image taken in the r band at a mid time of 5.61 hr after the trigger, we measure a magnitude r = 18.40 +- 0.02 AB, calibrated against nearby stars from the Pan-STARRS catalog.

In a preliminary reduction of the spectra, we clearly observe a bright continuum over the entire covered wavelength range, detected at high S/N. The sightline is rich with intervening absorption systems, in particular C IV absorbers (1548,1550 doublet) are detected at z = 1.146, 1.222, 1.231, 1.405, 1.407, 1.518, and 1.520.

The highest-redshift system is only securely detected in C IV and Si IV (at both z = 1.518 and 1.520). There is a possible indication of Lyman alpha absorption at the very blue end of the spectrum, with very low column density (much less than a DLA). The system at z = 1.405/1.407 is on the other hand the strongest and has detection in many species at both high and low ionization, including Si II, C II, Si IV, C IV, Fe II, Al II, Al III, Mg II and Mg I, as well as a rich velocity structure. No emission lines are visible at any of the above mentioned redshifts.

Our data are therefore in good agreement with the results and the redshift value z = 1.520 already reported by Chornock et al. (GCN 40265) using the Keck telescope.

We acknowledge expert and efficient support from the observing staff at Paranal, in particular Boris Haeussler, Francesca Lucertini, Rodrigo Romero, and Elisa Garro.

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