The purpose of this project is to conduct observations in the near-infrared part of the spectrum to obtain light curves for a sample of 100-200 Type 1a Supernovae in order to investigate cosmic acceleration and dark energy. The program will extend work done over the past several years to greater distances (redshifts of 0.03 to 0.08) using a new, high-throughput camera to be built for the du Pont 2.5 m telescope at the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. The resulting data set will serve as the definitive low-redshift reference for future rest infrared observations of supernovae at high redshifts with the James Webb Space Telescope and/or JDEM.
Broader impacts of the work include training of undergraduate students (including Chilean students) and a postdoc, and outreach to underserved elementary school students. Carnegie also conducts various public outreach programs in astronomy.
