Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2002-02-10
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
To appear in the August 2002 issue of PASP, improved webtool for plotting SN evolution curves in color-color space at arbitrar
Scientific paper
10.1086/341741
Large numbers of supernovae (SNe) have been discovered in recent years, and many more will be found in the near future. Once discovered, further study of a SN and its possible use as an astronomical tool (e.g., as a distance estimator) require knowledge of the SN type. Current classification methods rely almost solely on the analysis of SN spectra to determine their type. However, spectroscopy may not be possible or practical when SNe are faint, numerous, or discovered in archival studies. We present a classification method for SNe based on the comparison of their observed colors with synthetic ones, calculated from a large database of multi-epoch optical spectra of nearby events. We discuss the capabilities and limitations of this method. For example, type Ia SNe at redshifts z < 0.1 can be distinguished from most other SN types during the first few weeks of their evolution, based on V-R vs. R-I colors. Type II-P SNe have distinct (very red) colors at late (t > 100 days) stages. Broadband photometry through standard Johnson-Cousins $UBVRI$ filters can be useful to classify SNe out to z ~ 0.6. The use of Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) ugriz filters allows the extension of our classification method to even higher redshifts (z = 0.75), and the use of infrared bands, to z = 2.5. We demonstrate the application of this method to a recently discovered SN from the SDSS. Finally, we outline the observational data required to further improve the sensitivity of the method, and discuss prospects for its use on future SN samples. Community access to the tools developed is provided by a dedicated website (http://wise-obs.tau.ac.il/~dovip/typing) .
Filippenko Alexei V.
Gal-Yam Avishay
Leonard Douglas C.
Maoz Dan
Matheson Thomas
No associations
LandOfFree
Not Color Blind: Using Multiband Photometry to Classify Supernovae does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Not Color Blind: Using Multiband Photometry to Classify Supernovae, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Not Color Blind: Using Multiband Photometry to Classify Supernovae will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-288633