We explore the extinction properties of the dust in the distant universe
through the afterglows of high-redshifted GRBs based on the "Drude" model
which, unlike previous studies, does not require a prior assumption of template
extinction laws. We select GRB070802 at z~2.45 (which shows clear evidence for
the 2175\AA extinction bump) and GRB050904 at z~6.29, the 2nd most distant GRB
observed to date. We fit their afterglow spectra to determine the extinction of
their host galaxies. We find that (1) their extinction curves differ
substantially from that of the Milky Way, the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds
(which were widely adopted as template extinction laws in literature); (2) the
2175\AA extinction feature appears to be also present in GRB050904 at z~6.29;
and (3) there does not appear to show strong evidence for a dependence of dust
extinction on redshifts. The inferred extinction curves are closely reproduced
in terms of a mixture of amorphous silicate and graphite, both of which are
expected supernova condensates and have been identified in primitive meteorites
as presolar grains originating from supernovae (which are considered as the
main source of dust at high-z).Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables; accepted for publication in the
Astrophysical Journal Letter