R. J. Foley
- Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae
- Astronomy and Astrophysical Research
- Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
- Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
- Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
- Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research
- Astronomical Observations and Instrumentation
- Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena
- Astro and Planetary Science
- Geophysics and Gravity Measurements
- SAS software applications and methods
- Cosmology and Gravitation Theories
- Adaptive optics and wavefront sensing
- Neutrino Physics Research
- Spectroscopy and Laser Applications
- Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies
- Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics
- Nuclear Physics and Applications
- Calibration and Measurement Techniques
- Radio Astronomy Observations and Technology
- Particle Accelerators and Free-Electron Lasers
- Planetary Science and Exploration
- Spectroscopy Techniques in Biomedical and Chemical Research
- Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
- Spacecraft and Cryogenic Technologies
University of California, Santa Cruz
2016-2024
Texas A&M University
2024
Mitchell Institute
2024
Santa Cruz County Office of Education
2022
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
2013-2019
NGC Aerospace (Canada)
2016
Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian
2009-2015
Harvard University Press
2007-2015
Harvard University
2013
Las Campanas Observatory
2012
We present optical light curves, redshifts, and classifications for 365 spectroscopically confirmed Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) discovered by the Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) Medium Deep Survey. detail improvements to PS1 SN photometry, astrometry calibration that reduce systematic uncertainties in distances. combine subset of 279 ($0.03 < z 0.68$) with useful distance estimates from SDSS, SNLS, various low-z HST samples form largest combined sample consisting a total 1048 ranging $0.01 2.3$, which we...
We use the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) on Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to reduce uncertainty in local value of constant (H_0) from 3.3% 2.4%. Improvements come new, near-infrared observations Cepheid variables 11 new hosts recent SNe~Ia, more than doubling sample SNe~Ia having a Cepheid-calibrated distance for total 19; these leverage magnitude-z relation based 300 at z<0.15. All 19 and megamaser system NGC4258 were observed with WFC3, thus nullifying cross-instrument zeropoint errors. Other...
Aims. We present cosmological constraints from a joint analysis of type Ia supernova (SN Ia) observations obtained by the SDSS-II and SNLS collaborations. The dataset includes several low-redshift samples (z< 0.1), all three seasons (0.05 <z< 0.4), years (0.2 1), it totals 740 spectroscopically confirmed supernovae with high-quality light curves.
We have discovered 21 new Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and used them to trace history of cosmic expansion over last 10 billion yr. These objects, which include 13 spectroscopically confirmed SNe at z ≥ 1, were during 14 epochs reimaging GOODS fields North South 2 yr Advanced Camera for Surveys on HST. Together a recalibration our previous HST-discovered Ia, full sample 23 1 provides highest redshift known. Combining these data SN sets, we measured H(z)...
We present UV, optical, and NIR photometry of the first electromagnetic counterpart to a gravitational wave source from Advanced LIGO/Virgo, binary neutron star merger GW170817. Our data set extends discovery optical at $0.47$ days $18.5$ post-merger, includes observations with Dark Energy Camera (DECam), Gemini-South/FLAMINGOS-2 (GS/F2), {\it Hubble Space Telescope} ({\it HST}). The spectral energy distribution (SED) inferred this $0.6$ is well described by blackbody model $T\approx 8300$...
We present constraints on the dark energy equation-of-state parameter, w=P/(rho c^2), using 60 Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) from ESSENCE supernova survey. derive a set of nature assuming flat Universe. By including (Omega_M, w) baryon acoustic oscillations, we obtain value for static parameter w=-1.05^{+0.13}_{-0.12} (stat; 1 sigma) +- 0.11 (sys) and Omega_M=0.274^{+0.033}_{-0.020} with best-fit chi^2/DoF 0.96. These results are consistent those reported by SuperNova Legacy Survey in similar...
This overview paper describes the legacy prospect and discovery potential of Dark Energy Survey (DES) beyond cosmological studies, illustrating it with examples from DES early data.DES is using a wide-field camera (DECam) on 4 m Blanco Telescope in Chile to image 5000 sq deg sky five filters (grizY).
On 2017 August 17, gravitational waves were detected from a binary neutron star merger, GW170817, along with coincident short gamma-ray burst, GRB170817A. An optical transient source, Swope Supernova Survey 17a (SSS17a), was subsequently identified as the counterpart of this event. We present ultraviolet, and infrared light curves SSS17a extending 10.9 hours to 18 days post-merger. constrain radioactively-powered resulting ejection neutron-rich material. The fast rise curves, subsequent...
This is the second paper of a series in which we present new measurements observed rates supernovae (SNe) local Universe, determined from Lick Observatory Supernova Search (LOSS). In this paper, complete SN sample constructed, and (uncorrected for host-galaxy extinction) luminosity functions (LFs) SNe are derived. These LFs solve two issues that have plagued previous rate calculations nearby SNe: distribution extinction. We select volume-limited 175 SNe, collect photometry every object fit...
On 2017 August 17, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) and Virgo interferometer detected gravitational waves emanating from a binary neutron star merger, GW170817. Nearly simultaneously, Fermi INTEGRAL telescopes gamma-ray transient, GRB 170817A. 10.9 hours after wave trigger, we discovered transient fading optical source, Swope Supernova Survey 2017a (SSS17a), coincident with SSS17a is located in NGC 4993, an S0 galaxy at distance of 40 megaparsecs. The precise...
We present measurements of the Hubble diagram for 103 Type Ia supernovae (SNe) with redshifts 0.04 < z 0.42, discovered during first season (Fall 2005) Sloan Digital Sky Survey-II (SDSS-II) Supernova Survey. These data fill in redshift "desert" between low- and high-redshift SN surveys. combine SDSS-II new distance estimates published from ESSENCE survey, Legacy Survey, Space Telescope, a compilation nearby measurements. Combining Baryon Acoustic Oscillations SDSS Luminous Red Galaxy sample...
We present constraints on cosmological parameters from the Pantheon+ analysis of 1701 light curves 1550 distinct Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) ranging in redshift $z=0.001$ to 2.26. This work features an increased sample size, span, and improved treatment systematic uncertainties comparison original Pantheon results a factor two improvement constraining power. For Flat$\Lambda$CDM model, we find $\Omega_M=0.334\pm0.018$ SNe alone. Flat$w_0$CDM measure $w_0=-0.90\pm0.14$ alone, H$_0=73.5\pm1.1$...
We present a catalog of galaxy clusters selected via their Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect signature from 2500 deg$^2$ South Pole Telescope (SPT) data. This work represents the complete sample detected at high significance in 2500-square-degree SPT-SZ survey, which was completed 2011. A total 677 (409) cluster candidates are identified above signal-to-noise threshold $\xi$ =4.5 (5.0). Ground- and space-based optical near-infrared (NIR) imaging confirms overdensities similarly colored galaxies...
The first cosmological results from the ESSENCE supernova survey (Wood-Vasey and coworkers) are extended to a wider range of models including dynamical dark energy nonstandard models. We fold in greater number external data sets such as recent Higher-z release high-redshift supernovae (Riess coworkers), well several complementary probes. Model comparison statistics Bayesian Akaike information criteria applied gauge worth These favor that give good fit with fewer parameters. Based on this...
Abstract We describe the first public data release of Dark Energy Survey, DES DR1, consisting reduced single-epoch images, co-added source catalogs, and associated products services assembled over 3 yr science operations. DR1 is based on optical/near-infrared imaging from 345 distinct nights (2013 August to 2016 February) by Camera mounted 4 m Blanco telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. wide-area survey covering ∼5000 deg 2 southern Galactic cap five broad...
We report the discovery and early observations of peculiar Type IIn supernova (SN) 2006gy in NGC 1260. With a peak visual magnitude about -22, it is most luminous ever recorded. Its very slow rise to maximum took ~70 days, stayed brighter than -21 mag for 100 days. It not yet clear what powers enormous luminosity total radiated energy ~1051 erg, but we argue that any known mechanism—thermal emission, circumstellar interaction, or 56Ni decay—requires massive progenitor star. The interaction...
Abstract We present the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) discovery of optical counterpart first binary neutron star merger detected through gravitational-wave emission, GW170817. Our observations commenced 10.5 hr post-merger, as soon localization region became accessible from Chile. imaged 70 deg 2 in i and z bands, covering 93% initial integrated probability, to a depth necessary identify likely counterparts (e.g., kilonova). At 11.4 post-merger we bright transient located nucleus NGC 4993 at...
Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) serve as powerful probes of the early Universe, with their luminous afterglows revealing locations and physical properties star forming galaxies at highest redshifts, potentially locating first generation (Population III) stars. Since GRB have intrinsically very simple spectra, they allow robust redshifts from low signal to noise spectroscopy, or photometry. Here we present a photometric redshift z~9.4 for Swift-detected 090429B based on deep observations...
The Sloan Digital Sky Survey-II (SDSS-II) has embarked on a multi-year project to identify and measure light curves for intermediate-redshift (0.05 < z 0.35) Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) using repeated five-band (ugriz) imaging over an area of 300 sq. deg. survey region is stripe 2.5° wide centered the celestial equator in Southern Galactic Cap that been imaged numerous times earlier years, enabling construction deep reference image discovery new objects. Supernova observations are being...
Here we present 1701 light curves of 1550 spectroscopically confirmed Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) that will be used to infer cosmological parameters as part the Pantheon+ SN analysis and SH0ES (Supernovae H0 for Equation State dark energy) distance-ladder analysis. This effort is one a series works perform an extensive review redshifts, peculiar velocities, photometric calibration, intrinsic-scatter models SNe Ia. The total number curves, which are compiled across 18 different surveys,...
We describe observed properties of the Type Iax class supernovae (SNe Iax), consisting SNe observationally similar to its prototypical member, SN 2002cx. The currently has 25 members, and we present optical photometry and/or spectroscopy for most them. are spectroscopically Ia, but have lower maximum-light velocities (2000 ≲ |v| 8000 km s−1), typically peak magnitudes (−14.2 ⩾ MV, ≳ −18.9 mag), hot photospheres. Relative low luminosities their light-curve shape. There is a correlation...