55 research outputs found
K Corrections For Type Ia Supernovae and a Test for Spatial Variation of the Hubble Constant
Cross-filter K corrections for a sample of "normal" Type Ia supernovae (SNe)
have been calculated for a range of epochs. With appropriate filter choices,
the combined statistical and systematic K correction dispersion of the full
sample lies within 0.05 mag for redshifts z<0.7. This narrow dispersion of the
calculated K correction allows the Type Ia to be used as a cosmological probe.
We use the K corrections with observations of seven SNe at redshifts 0.3 < z
<0.5 to bound the possible difference between the locally measured Hubble
constant (H_L) and the true cosmological Hubble constant (H_0).Comment: 6 pages, 3 Postscript figures, uuencoded uses crckapb.sty and
psfig.sty. To appear in Thermonuclear Supernovae (NATO ASI), eds. R. Canal,
P. Ruiz-LaPuente, and J. Isern. Postscript version is also available at
http://www-supernova.lbl.gov
Distant field BHB stars and the mass of the Galaxy II: Photometry and spectroscopy of UKST candidates 16<B<19.5, 11<R<52 kpc
This is the second in a series of papers presenting a new calculation of the
mass of the Galaxy based on radial velocities and distances for a sample of
faint 16 < B < 21.3 field blue horizontal-branch (BHB) stars. We present
accurate BV CCD photometry and spectra for 142 candidate A-type stars selected
from ub_jr photometry of UK Schmidt telescope plates in six
high-Galactic-latitude fields. Classification of these candidates produces a
sample of 60 BHB stars at distances of 11-52 kpc from the Sun (mean 28 kpc),
with heliocentric line-of-sight velocities accurate to 15 km/s, and distance
errors < 10%. We provide a summary table listing coordinates and velocities of
these stars. The measured dispersion of the radial component of the
Galactocentric velocity for this sample is 108+-10 km/s, in agreement with a
recent study of the distant halo by Sirko and coworkers. Measurements of the Ca
II K line indicate that nearly all the stars are metal-poor with a mean [Fe/H]
= -1.8 with dispersion 0.5. Subsequent papers will describe a second survey of
BHBs to heliocentric distances 70 < R < 125 kpc and present a new estimate of
the mass of the Galaxy.Comment: 16 pages, 15 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA
Implications For The Hubble Constant from the First Seven Supernovae at z >= 0.35
The Supernova Cosmology Project has discovered over twenty-eight supernovae
(SNe) at 0.35 <z < 0.65 in an ongoing program that uses Type Ia SNe as
high-redshift distance indicators. Here we present measurements of the ratio
between the locally observed and global Hubble constants, H_0^L/H_0^G, based on
the first 7 SNe of this high-redshift data set compared with 18 SNe at z <= 0.1
from the Calan/Tololo survey. If Omega_M <= 1, then light-curve-width corrected
SN magnitudes yield H_0^L/H_0^G < 1.10 (95% confidence level) in both a
Lambda=0 and a flat universe. The analysis using the SNe Ia as standard candles
without a light-curve-width correction yields similar results. These results
rule out the hypothesis that the discrepant ages of the Universe derived from
globular clusters and recent measurements of the Hubble constant are
attributable to a locally underdense bubble. Using the
Cepheid-distance-calibrated absolute magnitudes for SNe Ia of Sandage (1996},
we can also measure the global Hubble constant, H_0^G. If Omega_M >= 0.2, we
find that H_0^G < 70 km/s/Mpc in a Lambda=0 universe and H_0^G < 78 km/s/Mpc in
a flat universe, correcting the distant and local SN apparent magnitudes for
light curve width. Lower results for H_0^G are obtained if the magnitudes are
not width corrected.Comment: 13 pages, 2 Postscript figures. Preprint also available at
http://www-supernova.lbl.gov . To appear in ApJ Letter
The Type Ia Supernova Rate at z ~ 0.4
We present the first measurement of the rate of Type Ia supernovae at high
redshift. The result is derived using a large subset of data from the Supernova
Cosmology Project as described in more detail at this meeting by Perlmutter et
al. (1996). We present our methods for estimating the numbers of galaxies and
the number of solar luminosities to which the survey is sensitive, the
supernova detection efficiency and hence the control time. We derive a
rest-frame Type Ia supernova rate at z~0.4 of 0.82^+0.54_-0.37 ^+0.42_-0.32 h^2
SNu where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second includes
systematic effects.Comment: 9 pages, 3 Postscript figures, uuencoded uses crckapb.sty and
psfig.sty. To appear in Thermonuclear Supernovae (NATO ASI), eds. R. Canal,
P. Ruiz-LaPuente, and J. Isern. Postscript version is also available at
http://www-supernova.lbl.gov
The Type Ia Supernova Rate at z
We present the first measurement of the rate of Type Ia supernovae at high
redshift. The result is derived using a large subset of data from the Supernova
Cosmology Project. Three supernovae were discovered in a surveyed area of 1.7
square degrees. The survey spanned a week baseline and used images
with limiting magnitude of . We present our methods for
estimating the numbers of galaxies and the number of solar luminosities to
which the survey is sensitive, and the supernova detection efficiency which is
used to determine the control time, the effective time for which the survey is
sensitive to a Type Ia event. We derive a rest-frame Type Ia supernova rate at
of SNu (1 SNu
= 1 SN per century per \Lbsun), where the first uncertainty is
statistical and the second includes systematic effects. For the purposes of
observers, we also determine the rate of SNe, per sky area surveyed, to be SNe\ for SN magnitudes in
the range .Comment: 33 pages, To be published in December 10, 1996 issue of ApJ Vol 47
A supernova at z = 0.458 and implications for measuring the cosmological deceleration
We have begun a program to discover high-redshift supernovae (z \approx 0.25--0.5), and study them with follow-up photometry and spectroscopy. We report here our first discovery, a supernova at z = 0.458. The photometry for this supernova closely matches the lightcurve calculated for this redshift from the template of well-observed nearby Type Ia supernovae. We discuss the measurement of the deceleration parameter q_0 using such high-redshift supernovae, and give the best fit value assuming this one supernova is a normal, unextincted Type Ia. We describe the main sources of error in such a measurement of q_0, and ways to reduce these errors
<i>Gaia</i> Data Release 1. Summary of the astrometric, photometric, and survey properties
Context. At about 1000 days after the launch of Gaia we present the first Gaia data release, Gaia DR1, consisting of astrometry and photometry for over 1 billion sources brighter than magnitude 20.7.
Aims. A summary of Gaia DR1 is presented along with illustrations of the scientific quality of the data, followed by a discussion of the limitations due to the preliminary nature of this release.
Methods. The raw data collected by Gaia during the first 14 months of the mission have been processed by the Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium (DPAC) and turned into an astrometric and photometric catalogue.
Results. Gaia DR1 consists of three components: a primary astrometric data set which contains the positions, parallaxes, and mean proper motions for about 2 million of the brightest stars in common with the HIPPARCOS and Tycho-2 catalogues – a realisation of the Tycho-Gaia Astrometric Solution (TGAS) – and a secondary astrometric data set containing the positions for an additional 1.1 billion sources. The second component is the photometric data set, consisting of mean G-band magnitudes for all sources. The G-band light curves and the characteristics of ∼3000 Cepheid and RR-Lyrae stars, observed at high cadence around the south ecliptic pole, form the third component. For the primary astrometric data set the typical uncertainty is about 0.3 mas for the positions and parallaxes, and about 1 mas yr−1 for the proper motions. A systematic component of ∼0.3 mas should be added to the parallax uncertainties. For the subset of ∼94 000 HIPPARCOS stars in the primary data set, the proper motions are much more precise at about 0.06 mas yr−1. For the secondary astrometric data set, the typical uncertainty of the positions is ∼10 mas. The median uncertainties on the mean G-band magnitudes range from the mmag level to ∼0.03 mag over the magnitude range 5 to 20.7.
Conclusions. Gaia DR1 is an important milestone ahead of the next Gaia data release, which will feature five-parameter astrometry for all sources. Extensive validation shows that Gaia DR1 represents a major advance in the mapping of the heavens and the availability of basic stellar data that underpin observational astrophysics. Nevertheless, the very preliminary nature of this first Gaia data release does lead to a number of important limitations to the data quality which should be carefully considered before drawing conclusions from the data
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