On the constraining observations of the dark GRB 001109 and the properties of a z=0.398 radio selected starburst galaxy contained in its error box

We present optical and NIR (near infrared) follow up observations of the GRB 001109 from 1 to 300 days after the burst. No transient emission was found at these wavelengths within this GRB's (Gamma Ray Burst) 50" radius BeppoSAX error box. Strong limits (3sigma) are set with: Rgreater than or similar to21, 10.2 h after the GRB; Igreater than or similar to23, 11.4 h after the GRB; Hgreater than or similar to20.7, 9.9 h after the GRB; and K(S)greater than or similar to20, 9.6 h after the GRB. We discuss whether the radio source found in the GRB's error box (Taylor et al. 2000) might be related to the afterglow. We also present a multiwavelength study of a reddened starburst galaxy, found coincident with the potential radio and the X-ray afterglow. We show that our strong I band upper limit makes of the GRB 001109 the darkest one localised by the BeppoSAX's NFI (Narrow Field Instrument), and it is one of the most constraining upper limits on GRB afterglows to date. Further to it, the implications of these observations in the context of dark GRBs are considered.