Understanding Supernovae for Cosmology and for Themselves

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AST-0606772KirshnerThe Center for Astrophysics Supernova Program is one of the world's leading sources of information on supernovae, based on diligent observation with a variety of telescopes. This project is aimed both at using supernovae for cosmology, and at understanding the supernovae themselves. It has also been critical to the discovery of dark energy by providing the low redshift sample for comparison with their high redshift counterparts. Although the result so far is a large and homogeneous set of Type I light curves and spectra, the sample still needs to be expanded, as it is not yet quite large enough to eliminate statistical noise when measuring the properties of the dark energy. Continuing this work for a further three years will allow investigation of possible systematic effects of stellar age and chemical evolution, as well as improve understanding of Type Ib/c supernovae, and investigate their link with gamma-ray bursts.Dark energy is currently a topic of very wide public interest, and the PI is active at bringing research results to students and the public through his existing popular book, developed museum exhibits, writing a textbook, and being a frequent speaker across the USA and on television and radio.