Feasibility of Measuring the Cosmological Constant [LAMBDA]and Mass Density [Omega]using Type Ia Supernovae
We explore the feasibility of resurrecting the apparent magnitude-redshift relation for a 'standard candle' to measure the cosmological constant and mass density. We show that type Ia supernovae, if measured with 0.15 mag uncertainty out to a redshift of z = 1, may provide a good standard candle or calibrated candle for this purpose. The recent discovery of probable type Ia supernovae in the redshift range z = 0.3 to 0.5 (Perlmutter et al. 1994a, and 1994b) indicates that the flux of optical photons from these events can be measured this accurately. The 7 distant supernovae discovered to date do not by themselves distinguish between different cosmological models, however the further discovery of about 50 type Ia supernovae at redshifts in the range 0.5 < z {approx} 1.0 could strongly constrain the allowed range of these parameters. We estimate that the follow-up photometry necessary for this measurement would be on the order of 20 - 70 hours of time on a lO-meter class telescope at a site with good seeing.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Physics Division
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC02-05CH11231
- OSTI ID:
- 938411
- Report Number(s):
- LBL-37197; ASJOAB; TRN: US200908%%335
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical journal, Vol. 450, Issue 1; Related Information: Journal Publication Date: 1995; ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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