High-redshift supernova rates measured with the gravitational telescope A 1689

Abstract

Aims. We present a ground-based, near-infrared search for lensed supernovae behind the massive cluster Abell 1689 at z = 0.18, which is one of the most powerful gravitational telescopes that nature provides. Methods. Our survey was based on multi-epoch J-band observations with the HAWK-I instrument on VLT, with supporting optical data from the Nordic Optical Telescope. Results. Our search resulted in the discovery of five photometrically classified, core-collapse supernovae with high redshifts of 0.671 < z < 1.703 and magnifications in the range ∆m = −0.31 to −1.58 mag, as calculated from lensing models in the literature. Owing to the power of the lensing cluster, the survey had the sensitivity to detect supernovae up to very high redshifts, z ∼ 3, albeit for a limited region of space. We present a study of the core-collapse supernova rates for 0.4 ≤ z < 2.9, and find good agreement with previous estimates and predictions from star formation history. During our survey, we also discovered two Type Ia supernovae in A 1689 cluster members, which allowed us to determine the cluster Ia rate to be 0.14,B yr −1 ), where the error bars indicate 1σ confidence intervals, statistical and systematic, respectively. The cluster rate normalized by the stellar mass is 0.10. Furthermore, we explore the optimal future survey for improving the core-collapse supernova rate measurements at z 2 using gravitational telescopes, and for detections with multiply lensed images, and we find that the planned WFIRST space mission has excellent prospects. Conclusions. Massive clusters can be used as gravitational telescopes to significantly expand the survey range of supernova searches, with important implications for the study of the high-z transient Universe.Key words. supernovae: general -gravitational lensing: strong -galaxies: star formation -galaxies: clusters

A common central engine for long gamma-ray bursts and Type Ib/c supernovae

“…The rate of CC SNe at the relevantẑ ∼ 2 is R CC (ẑ) ∼ 3 × 10 5 Gpc −3 yr −1 (Strolger et al 2015; see also Dahlen et al 2004;Graur et al 2011;Melinder et al 2012;Dahlen et al 2012;Cappellaro et al 2015;Petrushevska et al 2016). The fraction of CC SNe that belong to the Ib/c class is found to be f Ibc ∼ 0.4 at a mean redshift z ∼ 0.25 by Cappellaro et al (2015); combining with local estimates (e.g.…”

A consistent estimate for gravitational wave and electromagnetic transient rates

“…For observed SN Ia rates we use the data compilation of Melinder et al (2012) and supplement this with rates more recently reported by Okumura et al (2014), Cappellaro et al (2015, Rodney et al (2014) and Graur et al (2014). For CCSNe we again use the compilation of Melinder et al (2012) and additionally show the rates reported by Taylor et al (2014), Strolger et al (2015) and Petrushevska et al (2016).…”

Prospects for Strongly Lensed Supernovae Behind Hubble Frontier Fields Galaxy Clusters with the James Webb Space Telescope

“…The results are shown is Table 2 together with the previous estimates for A1689 and A370 from P18 for comparison. For more details regarding the estimates presented in this section, we refer to our previous work (Petrushevska et al 2018(Petrushevska et al , 2016Goobar et al 2009).…”

“…The magnification boost provided by the cluster lenses enhances the possibility of observing SNe at unprecedented distances, which enables to study their properties and their possible evolution with redshift that otherwise would be undetectable . Furthermore, discoveries of high redshift SNe can be used to pinpoint the SN rates at very high redshifts (z > 2) where they are poorly measured (Sullivan et al 2000;Gunnarsson and Goobar 2003;Petrushevska et al 2016).…”