2007/08/21 by Alex Kim, Alex G. Kim, R. Miquel +1
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.astropartphys.2007.08.009
published as Astropart.Phys.28:448-455,2007 · 16 pages, 4 figures, Astroparticle Physics, accepted
arxiv created 2007/08/21 · openalex publication_date 2007/09/23 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The distance and redshift of a type Ia supernova can be determined simultaneously through its multi-band light curves. This fact may be used for imaging surveys that discover and obtain photometry for large numbers of supernovae; so many that it would be difficult to obtain a spectroscopic redshift for each. Using available supernova-analysis tools we find that there are several conditions in which a viable distance-redshift can be determined. Uncertainties in the effective distance at z~0.3 are dominated by redshift uncertainties coupled with the steepness of the Hubble law. By z~0.5 the Hubble law flattens out and distance-modulus uncertainties dominate. Observations that give S/N=50 at peak brightness and a four-day observer cadence in each of griz-bands are necessary to match the intrinsic supernova magnitude dispersion out to z=1.0. Lower S/N can be tolerated with the addition of redshift priors (e.g. from a host-galaxy photometric redshift), observations in an additional redder band, or by focusing on supernova redshifts that have particular leverage for this measurement. More stringent S/N requirements are anticipated as improved systematics control over intrinsic color, metallicity, and dust is attempted to be drawn from light curves.