W. Michael Wood-Vasey

SN 2008ha: AN EXTREMELY LOW LUMINOSITY AND EXCEPTIONALLY LOW ENERGY SUPERNOVA

We present ultraviolet, optical, and near-infrared photometry as well as optical spectra of the peculiar supernova (SN) 2008ha. SN?2008ha had a very low peak luminosity, reaching only?MV = ?14.2?mag, and low line velocities of only ~2000?km s?1 near maximum brightness, indicating a very small kinetic energy per unit mass of ejecta. Spectroscopically, SN?2008ha is a member of the SN?2002cx-like class of SNe, a peculiar subclass of SNe?Ia; however, SN?2008ha is the most extreme member, being significantly fainter and having lower line velocities than the typical member, which is already ~2?mag fainter and has line velocities ~5000?km s?1 smaller (near maximum brightness) than a normal SN?Ia. SN?2008ha had a remarkably short rise time of only ~10 days, significantly shorter than either SN?2002cx-like objects (~15 days) or normal SNe?Ia (~19.5 days). The bolometric light curve of SN?2008ha indicates that SN?2008ha peaked at L peak = (9.5 ? 1.4) ? 1040 erg s?1, making SN?2008ha perhaps the least luminous SN ever observed. From its peak luminosity and rise time, we infer that SN?2008ha generated (3.0 ? 0.9) ? 10?3 M ? of 56Ni, had a kinetic energy of ~2 ? 1048 erg, and ejected 0.15?M ? of material. The host galaxy of SN?2008ha has a luminosity, star formation rate, and metallicity similar to those of the Large?magellanic Cloud. We classify three new (and one potential) members of the SN?2002cx-like class, expanding the sample to 14 (and one potential) members. The host-galaxy morphology distribution of the class is consistent with that of SNe?Ia, Ib, Ic, and II. Several models for generating low-luminosity SNe can explain the observations of SN?2008ha; however, if a single model is to describe all SN?2002cx-like objects, deflagration of carbon-oxygen white dwarfs, with SN?2008ha being a partial deflagration and not unbinding the progenitor star, is preferred. The rate of SN?2008ha-like events is ~10% of the SN?Ia rate, and in the upcoming era of transient surveys, several thousand similar objects may be discovered, suggesting that SN?2008ha may be the tip of a low-luminosity transient iceberg.

Type Ia Supernovae Are Good Standard Candles in the Near Infrared: Evidence from PAIRITEL

We have obtained 1087 NIR (JHKs) measurements of 21 SNe Ia using PAIRITEL, nearly doubling the number of well-sampled NIR SN Ia light curves. These data strengthen the evidence that SNe Ia are excellent standard candles in the NIR, even without correction for optical light-curve shape. We construct fiducial NIR templates for normal SNe Ia from our sample, excluding only the three known peculiar SNe Ia: SN 2005bl, SN 2005hk, and SN 2005ke. The H-band absolute magnitudes in this sample of 18 SNe Ia have an intrinsic rms of only 0.15 mag with no correction for light-curve shape. We found a relationship between the H-band extinction and optical color excess of AH = 0.2E(B − V) . This variation is as small as the scatter in distance modulus measurements currently used for cosmology based on optical light curves after corrections for light-curve shape. Combining the homogeneous PAIRITEL measurements with 23 SNe Ia from the literature, these 41 SNe Ia have standard H-band magnitudes with an rms scatter of 0.16 mag. The good match of our sample with the literature sample suggests there are few systematic problems with the photometry. We present a nearby NIR Hubble diagram that shows no correlation of the residuals from the Hubble line with light-curve properties. Future samples that account for optical and NIR light-curve shapes, absorption, spectroscopic variation, or host-galaxy properties may reveal effective ways to improve the use of SNe Ia as distance indicators. Since systematic errors due to dust absorption in optical bands remain the leading difficulty in the cosmological use of supernovae, the good behavior of SN Ia NIR light curves and their relative insensitivity to reddening make these objects attractive candidates for future cosmological work.

THE CARNEGIE SUPERNOVA PROJECT: FIRST NEAR-INFRARED HUBBLE DIAGRAM TO z ∼ 0.7

The Carnegie Supernova Project (CSP) is designed to measure the luminosity distance for Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) as a function of redshift, and to set observational constraints on the dark energy contribution to the total energy content of the universe. The CSP differs from other projects to date in its goal of providing an I-band rest-frame Hubble diagram. Here, we present the first results from near-infrared observations obtained using the Magellan Baade telescope for SNe Ia with 0.1 <z < 0.7. We combine these results with those from the low-redshift CSP at z < 0.1. In this paper, we describe the overall goals of this long-term program, the observing strategy, data reduction procedures, and treatment of systematic uncertainties. We present light curves and an I-band Hubble diagram for this first sample of 35 SNe Ia, and we compare these data to 21 new SNe Ia at low redshift. These data support the conclusion that the expansion of the universe is accelerating. When combined with independent results from baryon acoustic oscillations, these data yield Ω m = 0.27 ± 0.02(statistical) and ΩDE = 0.76 ± 0.13(statistical) ± 0.09(systematic), for the matter and dark energy densities, respectively. If we parameterize the data in terms of an equation of state, w (with no time dependence), assume a flat geometry, and combine with baryon acoustic oscillations, we find that w = –1.05 ± 0.13(statistical) ± 0.09(systematic). The largest source of systematic uncertainty on w arises from uncertainties in the photometric calibration, signaling the importance of securing more accurate photometric calibrations for future supernova cosmology programs. Finally, we conclude that either the dust affecting the luminosities of SNe Ia has a different extinction law (RV = 1.8) than that in the Milky Way (where RV = 3.1), or that there is an additional intrinsic color term with luminosity for SNe Ia, independent of the decline rate. Understanding and disentangling these effects is critical for minimizing the systematic uncertainties in future SN Ia cosmology studies.

TYPE Ia SUPERNOVA LIGHT-CURVE INFERENCE: HIERARCHICAL BAYESIAN ANALYSIS IN THE NEAR-INFRARED

We present a comprehensive statistical analysis of the properties of Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) light curves in the near-infrared using recent data from Peters Automated InfraRed Imaging TELescope and the literature. We construct a hierarchical Bayesian framework, incorporating several uncertainties including photometric error, peculiar velocities, dust extinction, and intrinsic variations, for principled and coherent statistical inference. SN Ia light-curve inferences are drawn from the global posterior probability of parameters describing both individual supernovae and the population conditioned on the entire SN Ia NIR data set. The logical structure of the hierarchical model is represented by a directed acyclic graph. Fully Bayesian analysis of the model and data is enabled by an efficient Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm exploiting the conditional probabilistic structure using Gibbs sampling. We apply this framework to the JHKs SN Ia light-curve data. A new light-curve model captures the observed J-band light-curve shape variations. The marginal intrinsic variances in peak absolute magnitudes are ?(MJ ) = 0.17 ? 0.03, ?(MH ) = 0.11 ? 0.03, and ?(MKs ) = 0.19 ? 0.04. We describe the first quantitative evidence for correlations between the NIR absolute magnitudes and J-band light-curve shapes, and demonstrate their utility for distance estimation. The average residual in the Hubble diagram for the training set SNe at cz > 2000kms?1 is 0.10 mag. The new application of bootstrap cross-validation to SN Ia light-curve inference tests the sensitivity of the statistical model fit to the finite sample and estimates the prediction error at 0.15 mag. These results demonstrate that SN Ia NIR light curves are as effective as corrected optical light curves, and, because they are less vulnerable to dust absorption, they have great potential as precise and accurate cosmological distance indicators.

THE BOSS EMISSION-LINE LENS SURVEY (BELLS). I. A LARGE SPECTROSCOPICALLY SELECTED SAMPLE OF LENS GALAXIES AT REDSHIFT ∼0.5*

We present a catalog of 25 definite and 11 probable strong galaxy–galaxy gravitational lens systems with lens redshifts 0.4 <~ z <~ 0.7, discovered spectroscopically by the presence of higher-redshift emission lines within the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) of luminous galaxies, and confirmed with high-resolution Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images of 44 candidates. Our survey extends the methodology of the Sloan Lens Advanced Camera for Surveys survey (SLACS) to higher redshift.We describe the details of the BOSS spectroscopic candidate detections, our HST ACS image processing and analysis methods, and our strong gravitational lens modeling procedure. We report BOSS spectroscopic parameters and ACS photometric parameters for all candidates, and mass-distribution parameters for the best-fit singular isothermal ellipsoid models of definite lenses. Our sample to date was selected using only the first six months of BOSS survey-quality spectroscopic data. The full five-year BOSS database should produce a sample of several hundred strong galaxy–galaxy lenses and in combination with SLACS lenses at lower redshift, strongly constrain the redshift evolution of the structure of elliptical, bulgedominated galaxies as a function of luminosity, stellar mass, and rest-frame color, thereby providing a powerful test for competing theories of galaxy formation and evolution.

Using Line Profiles to Test the Fraternity of Type Ia Supernovae at High and Low Redshifts

Using archival data of low-redshift (z 1.7] SNe Ia, which are also subluminous. In addition, we give the first direct evidence in two high-z SN Ia spectra of a double-absorption feature in Ca II λ3945, an event also observed, although infrequently, in low-redshift SN Ia spectra (6 out of 22 SNe Ia in our local sample). Moreover, echoing the recent studies of Dessart & Hillier in the context of Type II supernovae (SNe II), we see similar P Cygni line profiles in our large sample of SN Ia spectra. First, the magnitude of the velocity location at maximum profile absorption may underestimate that at the continuum photosphere, as observed, for example, in the optically thinner line S II λ5640. Second, we report for the first time the unambiguous and systematic intrinsic blueshift of peak emission of optical P Cygni line profiles in SN Ia spectra, by as much as 8000 km s-1. All the high-z SNe Ia analyzed in this paper were discovered and followed up by the ESSENCE collaboration and are now publicly available.

Early and Late-Time Observations of SN 2008ha: Additional Constraints for the Progenitor and Explosion

We present a new maximum-light optical spectrum of the extremely low luminosity and exceptionally low-energy Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) 2008ha, obtained one week before the earliest published spectrum. Previous observations of SN 2008ha were unable to distinguish between a massive star and white dwarf (WD) origin for the SN. The new maximum-light spectrum, obtained one week before the earliest previously published spectrum, unambiguously shows features corresponding to intermediate mass elements, including silicon, sulfur, and carbon. Although strong silicon features are seen in some core-collapse SNe, sulfur features, which are a signature of carbon/oxygen burning, have always been observed to be weak in such events. It is therefore likely that SN 2008ha was the result of a thermonuclear explosion of a carbon-oxygen WD. Carbon features at maximum light show that unburned material is present to significant depths in the SN ejecta, strengthening the case that SN 2008ha was a failed deflagration. We also present late-time imaging and spectroscopy that are consistent with this scenario.

The post illumination pupil response is reduced in seasonal affective disorder

Individuals with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) may have a decreased retinal sensitivity in the non-image forming light-input pathway. We examined the post illumination pupil response (PIPR) among individuals with SAD and healthy controls to identify possible differences in the melanopsin signaling pathway. We also investigated whether melanopsin gene (OPN4) variations would predict variability in the PIPR. Fifteen SAD and 15 control participants (80% women, mean age 36.7 years, S.D.=14.5) were assessed in the fall/winter. Participants were diagnosed based on DSM-IV-TR criteria. Infrared pupillometry was used to measure pupil diameter prior to, during, and after red and blue stimuli. In response to blue light, the SAD group had a reduced PIPR and a lower PIPR percent change relative to controls. The PIPR after the blue stimulus also varied on the basis of OPN4 I394T genotype, but not OPN4 P10L genotype. These findings may indicate that individuals with SAD have a less sensitive light input pathway as measured by the PIPR, leading to differences in neurobiological and behavioral responses such as alertness, circadian photoentrainment, and melatonin release. In addition, this sensitivity may vary based on sequence variations in OPN4, although a larger sample and replication is needed.

LIKELIHOOD-FREE COSMOLOGICAL INFERENCE WITH TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE: APPROXIMATE BAYESIAN COMPUTATION FOR A COMPLETE TREATMENT OF UNCERTAINTY

Cosmological inference becomes increasingly difficult when complex data-generating processes cannot be modeled by simple probability distributions. With the ever-increasing size of data sets in cosmology, there is an increasing burden placed on adequate modeling; systematic errors in the model will dominate where previously these were swamped by statistical errors. For example, Gaussian distributions are an insufficient representation for errors in quantities like photometric redshifts. Likewise, it can be difficult to quantify analytically the distribution of errors that are introduced in complex fitting codes. Without a simple form for these distributions, it becomes difficult to accurately construct a likelihood function for the data as a function of parameters of interest. Approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) provides a means of probing the posterior distribution when direct calculation of a sufficiently accurate likelihood is intractable. ABC allows one to bypass direct calculation of the likelihood but instead relies upon the ability to simulate the forward process that generated the data. These simulations can naturally incorporate priors placed on nuisance parameters, and hence these can be marginalized in a natural way. We present and discuss ABC methods in the context of supernova cosmology using data from the SDSS-II Supernova Survey. Assuming a flat cosmology and constant dark energy equation of state, we demonstrate that ABC can recover an accurate posterior distribution. Finally, we show that ABC can still produce an accurate posterior distribution when we contaminate the sample with Type IIP supernovae.

Hubble space telescope observations of nine high-redshift essence supernovae

We present broadband light curves of nine supernovae ranging in redshift from 0.5 to 0.8. The supernovae were discovered as part of the ESSENCE project, and the light curves are a combination of Cerro Tololo 4 m and Hubble Space Telescope (HST) photometry. On the basis of spectra and/or light-curve fitting, eight of these objects are definitely Type Ia supernovae, while the classification of one is problematic. The ESSENCE project is a 5 yr endeavor to discover about 200 high-redshift Type Ia supernovae, with the goal of tightly constraining the time average of the equation-of-state parameter [w = p/(?c2)] of the dark energy. To help minimize our systematic errors, all of our ground-based photometry is obtained with the same telescope and instrument. In 2003 the highest redshift subset of ESSENCE supernovae was selected for detailed study with HST. Here we present the first photometric results of the survey. We find that all but one of the ESSENCE supernovae have slowly declining light curves and that the sample is not representative of the low-redshift set of ESSENCE Type Ia supernovae. This is unlikely to be a sign of evolution in the population. We attribute the decline-rate distribution of HST events to a selection bias at the high-redshift edge of our sample and find that such a bias will infect other magnitude-limited Type Ia supernova searches unless appropriate precautions are taken.