Open AccessEffects of systematic uncertainties on the supernova determination of cosmological parameters
Author(s) -
Kim Alex G.,
Linder Eric V.,
Miquel Ramon,
Mostek Nick
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.07260.x
Subject(s) - physics , dark energy , supernova , astrophysics , redshift , cosmology , monte carlo method , parameter space , acceleration , astronomy , galaxy , statistics , classical mechanics , mathematics
Mapping the recent expansion history of the Universe offers the best hope for uncovering the characteristics of the dark energy believed to be responsible for the acceleration of the expansion. In determining cosmological and dark‐energy parameters to the percentage level, systematic uncertainties impose a more severe floor on the accuracy than the statistical measurement precision. We delineate the categorization, simulation and understanding required to bound systematics for the specific case of the Type Ia supernova method. Using the simulated data of the forthcoming ground‐based surveys and the proposed space‐based Supernova/Acceleration Probe ( SNAP ) mission we present Monte Carlo results for the residual uncertainties on the cosmological parameter determination. The tight systematics control with optical and near‐infrared observations and the extended redshift reach allow a space survey to bound the systematics below 0.02 mag at z = 1.7 . For a typical SNAP ‐like supernova survey, this keeps total errors within 15 per cent of the statistical values and provides estimation of Ω m to 0.03, w 0 to 0.07 and w ′ to 0.3; these can be further improved by incorporating complementary data.