Studies of Supernovae and Supernova Remnants

这是一个仔细观察和分析超新星爆炸的程序。其目标是了解恒星爆炸的机制，评估超新星对宇宙重元素富集的贡献，并利用超新星爆炸作为测量宇宙膨胀历史的工具。许多人已经开始寻找超新星，但这些发现只有在后续研究中才会增加对超新星的了解。这个小组一直是世界上跟踪超新星最有效的团队之一，部分原因是霍普金斯山的理想仪器。在未来的几年里，6.5米的MMT将随着南半球两个麦哲伦望远镜的非凡机会而变得可用。他们还翻新了位于霍普金斯山的1.3米前2MASS巡天望远镜，以增加全球红外数据的供应。该小组在使用Ia型超新星作为精确测量星系外距离的工具方面取得了卓越的进展。这导致了对宇宙膨胀率的测量，对宇宙年龄的估计，高红移时时间膨胀的证明，一种检测大尺度流动的方法，并为宇宙加速提供了唯一的直接证据。超新星观测显示，宇宙的三分之二是暗能量，其类型尚未确定，这一发现与基础物理学有着深刻的共鸣。

PI KirshnerThis is a program of diligent observation and analysis of supernova explosions. The goalsare to understand the mechanisms by which stars explode, to assess the supernovacontribution to the heavy element enrichment of the Universe, and to use supernovaexplosions as tools for measuring the expansion history of the Universe. Many people haveembarked on finding supernovae, but these discoveries only lead to increased understanding when they are followed up. This group has been one of the most effective teams in the world at following supernovae -- in part because of the ideal instrumentation at Mount Hopkins . In the coming years, the 6.5 meter MMT will become available along with the extraordinary opportunities at the two Magellan telescopes in the southern hemisphere. They are also refurbishing the 1.3 meter former 2MASS survey telescope at Mount Hopkins to augment the world's supply of infrared data. The group has made excellent progress in using Type Ia supernovae as accurate tools to measure extragalactic distances. This leads to a measurement of the expansion rate of the Universe, an estimate for the age of the Universe, demonstration of time dilation at high redshift, a way to detect large scale flows, and gives the only direct evidence for an accelerating Universe. Supernova observations have revealed that 2/3 of the Universe is dark energy, of an as-yet undetermined type, a finding with deep resonances with fundamental physics.