A DETECTION OF MOLECULAR GAS EMISSION IN THE HOST GALAXY OF GRB 080517

We have observed the host galaxy of the low-redshift, low-luminosity Swift GRB 080517 at 105.8 GHz using the IRAM Plateau de Bure interferometer. We detect an emission line with integrated flux SΔν = 0.39 ± 0.05 Jy km s–1—consistent both spatially and in velocity with identification as the J = 1-0 rotational transition of carbon monoxide (CO) at the host galaxy redshift. This represents only the third long gamma-ray burst (GRB) host galaxy with molecular gas detected in emission. The inferred molecular gas mass, $M_\mathrm{H_2}\sim 6.3\times 10^8$ M ☉, implies a gas consumption timescale of ~40 Myr if star formation continues at its current rate. Similar short timescales appear characteristic of the long GRB population with CO observations to date, suggesting that the GRB in these sources occurs toward the end of their star formation episode.