Probing cosmic chemical evolution with gamma-ray bursts: GRB 060206 at <i>z</i> = 4.048

Abstract

Aims.We present early optical spectroscopy of the afterglow of the gamma-ray burst GRB 060206 with the aim of determining the metallicity of the GRB absorber and the physical conditions in the circumburst medium. We also discuss how GRBs may be important complementary probes of cosmic chemical evolution.