Institute for Advanced Study Informal Astrophysics Seminar
Cosmology with Supernovae: Progress and Prospects
ABSTRACT: Type Ia supernovae (SN Ia) are exquisite tools with which to trace the history of cosmic expansion, and they have a starring role in attempts to understand the dark energy that drives our accelerating Universe. Current supernova samples have grown to a size where systematic uncertainties are beginning to dominate statistical ones. I
will describe the factors that limit the precision of our cosmological inferences and avenues for improvement, with a focus on understanding the reddening of SN Ia (by dust or otherwise) and constraining SN Ia progenitor models through observations of peculiar objects. I will
also discuss new applications of precise distances from SN Ia in current and upcoming surveys.
Date & Time
May 26, 2011 | 11:30am – 12:30pm
Location
Bloomberg Hall Astrophysics LibrarySpeakers
Saurabh Jha
Affiliation
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey