Time Dilation from Spectral Feature Age Measurements of Type IA Supernovae.
Abstract
We have developed a quantitative, empirical method for estimating the age of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) from a single spectral epoch. The technique examines the goodness of fit of spectral features as a function of the temporal evolution of a large database of SNe Ia spectral features. When a SN Ia spectrum with good signal-to-noise ratio over the rest frame range 3800 to 6800 Angstroms \ is available, the precision of a spectral feature age (SFA) is (1sigma ) ~ 1.4 days. SFA estimates are made for two spectral epochs of SN 1996bj (z=0.574) to measure the rate of aging at high redshift. In the 10.05 days which elapsed between spectral observations, SN 1996bj aged 3.35 +/- 3.2 days, consistent with the 6.38 days of aging expected in an expanding Universe and inconsistent with no time dilation at the 96.4% confidence level. The precision to which individual features constrain the supernova age has implications for the source of inhomogeneities among SNe Ia.
- Publication:
-
The Astronomical Journal
- Pub Date:
- August 1997
- DOI:
- 10.1086/118506
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/9707260
- Bibcode:
- 1997AJ....114..722R
- Keywords:
-
- SUPERNOVAE: GENERAL;
- RELATIVITY;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 14 pages (LaTex), 7 postscript figures to Appear in the Astronomical Journal