2012 Annual Fall Meeting of the APS Prairie Section
Volume 57, Number 14
Thursday–Saturday, November 8–10, 2012;
Lawrence, Kansas
Session A1: Astrophysics, Cosmology and Space Science I
8:30 AM–10:04 AM,
Friday, November 9, 2012
Oread Hotel
Room: Hancock Room
Chair: Gregory Rudnick, University of Kansas
Abstract ID: BAPS.2012.PSF.A1.1
Abstract: A1.00001 : The Future of Supernova Cosmology
8:30 AM–9:05 AM
Preview Abstract
Abstract
Author:
Nicholas Suntzeff
(Texas A\&M University)
It has been 12 years since the discovery of the acceleration of the
expansion of the Universe by the Supernova Cosmology Project and the High-Z
Supernova Search Team. The initial discovery was based on luminosity
distances to Type Ia (thermonuclear) supernovae, out to redshifts of
z$=$0.8. A simple description of the discovery is that Type Ia supernovae at
redshifts of z$=$0.6 are too faint by 0.25 magnitudes with respect to an
empty universe. The nearby supernovae used in these projects, which came
primarily from the Cal\'{a}n/Tololo Supernova Survey, also were the key
objects that defined the near field Hubble flow, leading to the most precise
measurements of the Hubble constant \textit{H0} when combined with physical distances
to a small number of galaxies hosting Type Ia supernovae. Another key
observation, made by the Higher-Z Supernova Team, was the Type Ia supernovae
at redshifts greater than z$=$1 show clear evidence of deceleration, as
expected from a simple cosmology with \textit{Omega\textunderscore matter}$=$0.23 and \textit{Omega\textunderscore Lambda}$=$0.74.
With the addition of measurements of the Baryon Acoustic Oscillations in the
local volume, weak lensing of distant galaxies, the formation of large scale
structure, and the CMB temperature fluctuations, we have now arrived at a
(optimistically named) concordance cosmology which so far has the curvature
\textit{Omega\textunderscore k}$=$1 and Lemaitre's \textit{equation of state parameter w}$=$-1.0 to 10{\%} or so, with no meaningful measurement
of any time rate of change of ``dark energy.''
A number of major surveys (SNLS, ESSENCE, SDSSIII) have finished, and larger
surveys have been started (DES). Even larger surveys are being planned and
built (LSST, Pan-STARRS). I will discuss the present status of cosmology and
the supernova data for these projects, and give a glimpse of what is ahead.
To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2012.PSF.A1.1