Early Robotic Spectra of Supernovae with FLOYDS

Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network, Goleta CA

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal will exploit a capability never before available in astronomy: a pair of robotic spectrographs on 2m telescopes specifically designed to study supernovae, capable of routinely observing targets within minutes to hours of discovery. The average lag between discovery and spectroscopic typing for supernovae is a week to 10 days, making their early behavior largely a mystery. FLOYDS will reduce this lag by an order of magnitude and make some currently exotic probes of supernova progenitors routine. The core effort is to (1) determine an immediate spectroscopic type and redshift of every new supernova discovered with a nondetection within the past week, and (2) obtain high signal-to-noise spectra of supernovae every few days for a subset of the most interesting 150 (100 SNe Ia / 50 core-collapse) targets. With this data we will statistically limit the progenitor channels of SNe Ia but studying unburned material, study shock breakout in core-collapse supernovae, and target faint-fast transients whose origin remains unknown. The entire supernova community will benefit from this proposal, as all supernovae with a nondetection within a week will be typed within a day or two, and the redshifts and types will be announced immediately for public SNe. This will allow earlier lightcurves, spectra, and follow-up from the X-ray to the IR. Most spectra will be made public after one year, but some data will be made public immediately. We will advertise the more photogenic supernovae to our schools program to encourage students to image the supernovae with the LCOGT network (providing real science data), and we will provide associated curricula and textbook materials through SpaceBook, the online textbook at LCOGT.net. LCOGT software and telescope and instrument plans will be made public.