Optical Observations of γ-Ray Burst Afterglows

Abstract

Optical, IR and UV observations of GRB fields have allowed detection of counterparts and host galaxies of the high energy transients, thus crucially contributing to our present knowledge of the GRB phenomenon. Measurements of afterglow variable emission, polarized light, redshifted absorption and emission line spectra, as well as host galaxy brightnesses and colors have clarified many fundamental issues related to the radiation mechanisms and environments of GRBs, setting the background towards discovering the nature of their progenitors.