Understanding Supernovae for Cosmology & Themselves

Harvard University, Cambridge MA

Investigators

Abstract

The objective of this program is to further our understanding both of supernovae as astrophysical objects and of their use as a powerful cosmological probe. Broader impacts of the work include research training of graduate students and a postdoctoral scholar, and outreach via public talks and popular books and articles. The research will advance knowledge of Dark Energy and other cosmological parameters by employing supernovae as a measure of the expansion history of the Universe. The study of supernovae in the infrared, as will be done here, is especially promising given the excellent standard candle behavior as compared to visible wavelengths. The work will provide new insights on Dark Energy, the discovery of which was pioneered by this group.