Gamma ray bursts, supernovae and metallicity in the intergalactic medium

The mean iron abundance observed in the intracluster medium of galaxy clusters is consistent with the mean amount of iron injected in the universe per unit volume by standard supernova (SN) explosions with a rate proportional to the cosmic star-formation rate. But very little is known about field SNe at high red-shifts. Such SNe could have occurred primarily in highly obscured environments, avoiding detection. Supporting evidence for field SNe is provided by SNe associated with gamma ray bursts (GRBs) without a host galaxy and by the ratio of well localized GRBs with and without a host galaxy. A direct test of the field-SN origin of iron in the intergalactic medium would require the measurement of their rate per comoving unit volume as function of red-shift. This is feasible with IR telescopes, such as the Spitzer Space Telescope.