TITLE:   GCN GRB OBSERVATION REPORT
NUMBER:  1980
SUBJECT: GRB 030328, optical spectroscopy
DATE:    03/03/29 08:13:10 GMT
FROM:    Peter Garnavich at U of Notre Dame  <pgarnavi@miranda.phys.nd.edu>

P. Martini (OCIW), P. Garnavich (Notre Dame) and K.Z. Stanek (CfA)

Spectra of the optical afterglow of GRB 030328 (Peterson & Price,
GCN 1974) were obtained with the Magellan 6.5-m Clay telescope and
LDSS2 imaging/spectrograph starting at March 29.19 (UT). The
five spectra cover the wavelength range of 4000 to 9000 Ang.
with a resolution of 13 Ang. FWHM. Preliminary reduction of
the images reveals narrow absorption features which we identify
with a single absorption system at z=1.52:

       observed (Ang)    ID           z
        7069.6        MgII 2802.7    1.522
        7049.2        MgII 2795.5    1.522
        6554.6        FeII 2599.4    1.522
        6005.7        FeII 2382.0    1.521
        5987.6        FeII 2373.7    1.522
        4207.9        AlII 1670.8    1.518

This suggests that the redshift of the GRB is at least z=1.52. 

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