ASTRO-H White Paper - Chemical Evolution in High-z Universe

Abstract: In this paper, we demonstrate ASTRO-H's capability to measure the chemical evolution in the high-z (z <~ 3) universe by observing X-ray afterglows of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and distant Blazars. Utilizing these sources as background light sources, the excellent energy resolution of ASTRO-H/SXS allows us to detect emission and absorption features from heavy elements in the circumstellar material in the host galaxies, from the intergalactic medium (IGM) and in the ejecta of GRB explosions. In particular, we can constrain the existence of the warm-hot intergalactic material (WHIM), thought to contain most of the baryons at redshift of z < ~3, with a typical exposure of one day for a follow-up observation of a GRB afterglow or 300 ks exposure for several distant Blazars. In addition to the chemical evolution study, the combination of the SGD, HXI, SXI and SXS will measure, for the first time, the temporal behavior of the spectral continuum of GRB afterglows and Blazars over a broad energy range and short time scales allowing detailed modeling of jets. The ability to obtain these data from GRB afterglows will depend critically on the availability of GRB triggers and the capability of ASTRO-H to respond rapidly to targets of opportunity. At the present time it seems as if Swift will still be functioning normally during the first two years of ASTRO-H operations providing the needed triggering capability.