Subaru FOCAS Spectroscopic Observations of High-Redshift Supernovae

Abstract

We present spectra of high-redshift supernovae (SNe) that were taken with the Subaru low resolution optical spectrograph, FOCAS. These SNe were found in SN surveys with Suprime-Cam on Subaru, the CFH12k camera on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), and the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). These SN surveys specifically targeted z>1 Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). From the spectra of 39 candidates, we obtain redshifts for 32 candidates and spectroscopically identify 7 active candidates as probable SNe Ia, including one at z=1.35, which is the most distant SN Ia to be spectroscopically confirmed with a ground-based telescope. An additional 4 candidates are identified as likely SNe Ia from the spectrophotometric properties of their host galaxies. Seven candidates are not SNe Ia, either being SNe of another type or active galactic nuclei. When SNe Ia are observed within a week of maximum light, we find that we can spectroscopically identify most of them up to z=1.1. Beyond this redshift, very few candidates were spectroscopically identified as SNe Ia. The current generation of super red-sensitive, fringe-free CCDs will push this redshift limit higher.

19 pages, 26 figures. PASJ in press. see http://www.supernova.lbl.gov/2009ClusterSurvey/ for additional information pertaining to the HST Cluster SN Survey

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Cited by in corpus (12)

• The Hubble Space Telescope Cluster Supernova Survey: V. Improving the Dark Energy Constraints Above z>1 and Building an Early-Type-Hosted Supernova Sample
• Spectra and Light Curves of Six Type Ia Supernovae at 0.511 < z < 1.12 and the Union2 Compilation
• The importance of major mergers in the build up of stellar mass in brightest cluster galaxies at z=1
• The Hubble Space Telescope Cluster Supernova Survey: II. The Type Ia Supernova Rate in High-Redshift Galaxy Clusters
• The Hubble Space Telescope Cluster Supernova Survey: III. Correlated Properties of Type Ia Supernovae and Their Hosts at 0.9 < z < 1.46
• The Hubble Space Telescope Cluster Supernova Survey: VI. The Volumetric Type Ia Supernova Rate
• Effects of Supernova Redshift Uncertainties on the Determination of Cosmological Parameters
• Grisms Developed for FOCAS
• The Type Ia supernovae rate with Subaru/XMM-Newton Deep Survey
• Isophote Shapes of Early-Type Galaxies in Massive Clusters at $z\sim 1$ and 0
• See Change: VLT spectroscopy of a sample of high-redshift Type Ia supernova host galaxies
• Subaru Telescope -- History, Active/Adaptive Optics, Instruments, and Scientific Achievements