SN Ia Distances and Cosmology: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
| Line 14: | Line 14: | ||
How are Type Ia Supernovae useful for cosmologists? | How are Type Ia Supernovae useful for cosmologists? | ||
They're standard candles. | |||
Relatively predictable luminosity:brightness decline ratios allow their use as distance indicators. | Relatively predictable luminosity:brightness decline ratios allow their use as distance indicators. | ||
Why do cosmologist use Type Ia Supernovae as "standard candles"? | Why do cosmologist use Type Ia Supernovae as "standard candles"? | ||
Because their brightness is relatively constant. | |||
What are some criticisms for using Type Ia Supernovae as "standard candles?" | What are some criticisms for using Type Ia Supernovae as "standard candles?" | ||
Because they're not as constant as one might believe. | |||
Latest revision as of 16:34, 10 November 2009
Presenter : Rutger Dungan
Suggested Starting Points
Assigned Reading
http://arxiv.org/pdf/astro-ph/0703459v1
http://arxiv.org/pdf/0909.5416
Discussion
How are Type Ia Supernovae useful for cosmologists?
They're standard candles.
Relatively predictable luminosity:brightness decline ratios allow their use as distance indicators.
Why do cosmologist use Type Ia Supernovae as "standard candles"?
Because their brightness is relatively constant.
What are some criticisms for using Type Ia Supernovae as "standard candles?" Because they're not as constant as one might believe.