Les sursauts-gamma (GRBs) sont parmi les événements cosmiques les plus brillants. Ces flashs de photons gamma de courte durée sont suivis d'une rémanence brillante observable des rayons X aux ondes radio. La classe des sursauts-gamma longs (LGRBs) est associée à la mort d'étoiles massives. Les LGRBs se produisent généralement dans des galaxies peu brillantes avec des taux de formation stellaire spécifiques élevés et des environnements à métallicité inférieure à la métallicité solaire. Leurs hôtes pourraient être représentatifs de la population de galaxies présente à l'époque de la réionisation, encore mal connue. L'utilisation des LGRBs comme sondes des galaxies dans l'Univers distant offre des avantages uniques : (i) le flash de photons gamma nous permet de détecter des galaxies à tous décalages spectraux indépendamment de leurs propriétés d'émission; (ii) grâce à leur forte luminosité, les LGRBs peuvent être utilisés comme des phares capables de révéler le milieu interstellaire (MIS) des galaxies même les plus faibles et les plus éloignées, en apportant des détails inaccessibles autrement; (iii) la rémanence des LGRBs s'estompe rapidement, permettant l'étude des galaxies hôtes. Le but de cette thèse est d'utiliser les LGRBs pour étudier certaines des propriétés des galaxies à formation d'étoiles, distantes et faibles. Pour cela, je combine les informations sur le MIS obtenues par les raies d'absorption présentes dans les spectres de rémanence à celles du gaz ionisé obtenues par les raies d'émission de la galaxie hôte. De plus, j'approfondis l'interprétation des données à l'aide de simulations numériques.La première partie de cette thèse montre que les LGRBs sont des outils puissants pour détecter l'échappement de photons ionisants de galaxies très faibles et caractériser les voies par lesquelles cela se produit.Je présente les résultats de l'observation d'émission LyC dans le spectre de rémanence d'un LGRB nouvellement découvert. Cette détection est complétée par les observations de deux autres galaxies hôtes de LGRBs pour lesquelles un échappement de LyC est connu, afin de déterminer leur fraction d'échappement en LyC et de comparer leurs propriétés. Les fractions d'échappement calculées le long de la ligne de visée du LGRB sont élevées, et augmentent le nombre de détections des émetteurs LyC, en particulier à des magnitudes absolues très faibles.La deuxième partie de mon travail est consacrée à l'étude de la population des galaxies hôtes de LGRB étant émetteurs Lyman-alpha (LAE). Je mets à jour le recensement de ces galaxies en fournissant une compilation de toutes les détections disponibles, et en déterminant les statistiques de LAEs à partir d'échantillons spectroscopiques de galaxies hôtes de LGRB et de rémanences.A partir de cette étude, je sélectionne un sous-échantillon de quatre galaxies pour lesquelles on peut mesurer les principaux paramètres nécessaires pour contraindre le modèle de coquille utilisé pour interpréter la raie d'émission Lyman-alpha.Le modèle donne des résultats inconsistants pour les LGRB-LAEs qui présentent les densités de colonne d'hydrogène neutre les plus élevées, pourtant typiques des hôtes de LGRB et des LGRB-LAEs.Ce résultat amène à une interprétation des informations sondées le long de la ligne de visée des LGRBs et de l'échappement des photons Lya. Enfin, ces résultats sont approfondis à travers la simulation numérique d'une galaxie à z=3 ayant des propriétés typiques des galaxies hôtes de LGRB. Je trouve que les photons Lyman-alpha s'échappent de plusieurs régions au sein de la galaxie plutôt que d'une seule région dominante jeune et active qui pourrait héberger le LGRB. Cette thèse montre que les observations de la rémanence des LGRBs et de leur galaxie hôte sont des outils puissants permettant d'explorer les propriétés des galaxies faibles et distantes.

Since their discovery was first announced in 1973, gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have been among the most fascination objects in the universe. While the initial mystery has gone, the fascination continues, sustained by the close connection linking GRBs with some of the most fundamental topics in modern astrophysics and cosmology. Both authors have been active in GRB observations for over two decades and have produced an outstanding account on both the history and the perspectives of GRB research.

A brief, cutting-edge introduction to the brightest cosmic phenomena known to science Gamma-ray bursts are the brightest—and, until recently, among the least understood—cosmic events in the universe. Discovered by chance during the cold war, these evanescent high-energy explosions confounded astronomers for decades. But a rapid series of startling breakthroughs beginning in 1997 revealed that the majority of gamma-ray bursts are caused by the explosions of young and massive stars in the vast star-forming cauldrons of distant galaxies. New findings also point to very different origins for some events, serving to complicate but enrich our understanding of the exotic and violent universe. What Are Gamma-Ray Bursts? is a succinct introduction to this fast-growing subject, written by an astrophysicist who is at the forefront of today's research into these incredible cosmic phenomena. Joshua Bloom gives readers a concise and accessible overview of gamma-ray bursts and the theoretical framework that physicists have developed to make sense of complex observations across the electromagnetic spectrum. He traces the history of remarkable discoveries that led to our current understanding of gamma-ray bursts, and reveals the decisive role these phenomena could play in the grand pursuits of twenty-first century astrophysics, from studying gravity waves and unveiling the growth of stars and galaxies after the big bang to surmising the ultimate fate of the universe itself. What Are Gamma-Ray Bursts? is an essential primer to this exciting frontier of scientific inquiry, and a must-read for anyone seeking to keep pace with cutting-edge developments in physics today.

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the most luminous and violent explosions detectable out to the edge of the observable Universe. As soon as their cosmological origin was established, it became apparent that GRBs can serve as powerful probes of the high-redshift Universe. The association of long GRBs with the deaths of massive stars imply that they trace the sites and history of massive star formation. Their optical and near-infrared afterglows reveal spectral imprints of their environments, including the interstellar medium of their host galaxies as well as the intergalactic medium during cosmic reionization. With the Swift Observatory in orbit, such expectations are now being materialized. With GRB 050904, we found that the Universe was already largely ionized at z=6.3. The discovery of GRB 090423 at z~8.2, the most distant astrophysical object known to date, clearly demonstrates that in the coming years, GRBs will offer us an unprecedented view into the mysterious era of cosmic reionization and the formation of the first stars and galaxies. And yet, our knowledge concerning the GRBs themselves remain appallingly meager, such as their progenitors, their true energetics, the mechanisms of jet formation, particle acceleration and prompt emission, etc. The aim of this conference is to discuss the latest observational and theoretical developments in this exciting field of GRBs, with a strong emphasis on their use as probes of the high redshift universe. Non-GRB studies of the high redshift Universe, involving e.g. supernovae, galaxies, quasars and background radiation, are also essential elements of this conference.

In the last thirty years, gamma-ray bursts have grown from an oddity to a central position in astrophysics. Not only are they the largest explosions since the big bang, capable of flooding most of the universe with gamma-rays, but their brilliance serves as a backlight that can illuminate the cosmos far deeper into the early universe than any other object. Their unpredictability has forced researchers to use extreme measures to observe them: completely autonomous satellites and robotic ground-based telescopes. Their bizarre physical properties have pushed us to develop new theories of astrophysical explosions. Topics include: global properties of GRBs; X-ray flashes; ultra-high energy gamma-rays, neutrinos, gravity waves; prompt emission and early afterglows; relativistic jets and polarization; GRB030329; GRB progenitors; GRB connection to supernovae; dark versus bright GRBs; late afterglows; GRBs and cosmology; general observations; general theory; analysis and observation techniques; present satellites; Swift satellite; future satellites; and robotic observing systems.

Gamma-ray bursts (GRB) are amongst the most energetic phenomena in the Universe. In 1997 (more than 15 years ago), BeppoSAX allowed the detection of the first GRB X-ray afterglow, leading to the detection of afterglows at other wavelengths (optical, radio) in the following years, probing the cosmological distance scale. There are still many other open issues which still need to be addressed, regarding both theoretical and observational aspects: prompt emission and afterglow physics, progenitors (including Pop III stars), host galaxies, multi-messenger information, etc.

Cosmic gamma ray bursts (GRBs) have fascinated scientists and the public alike since their discovery in the late 1960s. Their story is told here by some of the scientists who participated in their discovery and, after many decades of false starts, solved the problem of their origin. Fourteen chapters by active researchers in the field present a detailed history of the discovery, a comprehensive theoretical description of GRB central engine and emission models, a discussion of GRB host galaxies and a guide to how GRBs can be used as cosmological tools. Observations are grouped into three sets from the satellites CGRO, BeppoSAX and Swift, and followed by a discussion of multi-wavelength observations. This is the first edited volume on GRB astrophysics that presents a fully comprehensive review of the subject. Utilizing the latest research, Gamma-ray Bursts is an essential desktop companion for graduate students and researchers in astrophysics.

The information received from BeppoSAX, Chandra and other instruments in the last two years has more than doubled the number of samples of Gamma-Ray Bursts localized and followed up for afterglow search. This has also increased the interest of astronomers in GRBs. This book reviews the research of the last two years and covers the global properties of GRBs, GRB afterglows, GRB host galaxies, cosmology using GRBs, and theories for GRBs and their afterglows. Theoretical and observational aspects are presented as well as tools for the analysis of the data.