Browsing by Author "Liu, MC"

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    Tests of the accelerating universe with near-infrared observations of a high-redshift type Ia supernova
    (2000) Riess, AG; Filippenko, AV; Liu, MC; Challis, P; Clocchiatti, A; Diercks, A; Garnavich, PM; Hogan, CJ; Jha, S; Kirshner, RP; Leibundgut, B; Phillips, MM; Reiss, D; Schmidt, BP; Schommer, RA; Smith, RC; Spyromilio, J; Stubbs, C; Suntzeff, NB; Tonry, J; Woudt, P; Brunner, RJ; Dey, A; Gal, R; Graham, J; Larkin, J; Odewahn, SC; Oppenheimer, B
    We have measured the rest-frame B-, V-, and I-band light curves of a high-redshift type Ia supernova (SN 1a), SN 1999Q (z = 0.46), using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and ground-based near-infrared detectors. A goal of this study is the measurement of the color excess, EB-I, a sensitive indicator of interstellar or intergalactic dust, which could affect recent cosmological measurements from high-redshift SNe Ia. Our observations disfavor a 30% opacity of SN Ia visual light by dust as an alternative to an accelerating universe. This statement applies to both Galactic-type dust (rejected at the 3.4 sigma confidence level) and grayer dust (grain size > 0.1 mu m, rejected at the 2.3-2.6 sigma confidence level) as proposed by Aguirre. The rest-frame I-band light curve shows the secondary maximum 1 month after the B maximum typical of nearby SNe fa of normal luminosity, providing no indication of evolution as a function of redshift out to z approximate to 0.5. An expanded set of similar observations could improve the constraints on any contribution of extragalactic dust to the dimming of high-redshift SNe Ia.
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    Twenty-three high-redshift supernovae from the Institute for Astronomy Deep Survey
    (2004) Barris, BJ; Tonry, JL; Blondin, S; Challis, P; Chornock, R; Clocchiatti, A; Filippenko, AV; Garnavich, P; Holland, ST; Jha, S; Kirshner, RP; Krisciunas, K; Leibundgut, B; Li, WD; Matheson, T; Miknaitis, G; Riess, AG; Schmidt, BP; Smith, RC; Sollerman, J; Spyromilio, J; Stubbs, CW; Suntzeff, NB; Aussel, H; Chambers, KC; Connelley, MS; Donovan, D; Henry, JP; Kaiser, N; Liu, MC; Martín, EL; Wainscoat, RJ
    We present photometric and spectroscopic observations of 23 high-redshift supernovae (SNe) spanning a range of z = 0.34-1.03, nine of which are unambiguously classified as Type Ia. These SNe were discovered during the IfA Deep Survey, which began in 2001 September and observed a total of 2.5 deg(2) to a depth of approximately m approximate to 25-26 in RIZ over 9-17 visits, typically every 1-3 weeks for nearly 5 months, with additional observations continuing until 2002 April. We give a brief description of the survey motivations, observational strategy, and reduction process. This sample of 23 high-redshift SNe includes 15 at z greater than or equal to 0.7, doubling the published number of objects at these redshifts, and indicates that the evidence for acceleration of the universe is not due to a systematic effect proportional to redshift. In combination with the recent compilation of Tonry et al. (2003), we calculate cosmological parameter density contours that are consistent with the flat universe indicated by the cosmic microwave background (Spergel et al. 2003). Adopting the constraint that Omega(total) = 1.0, we obtain best-fit values of (Omega(m), Omega(Lambda)) = (0.33, 0.67) using 22 SNe from this survey augmented by the literature compilation. We show that using the empty-beam model for gravitational lensing does not eliminate the need for Omega(Lambda) > 0. Experience from this survey indicates great potential for similar large-scale surveys while also revealing the limitations of performing surveys for z > 1 SNe from the ground.