Author
Claes Fransson
Other affiliations: Nova Southeastern University
Bio: Claes Fransson is an academic researcher from Stockholm University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Supernova & Light curve. The author has an hindex of 76, co-authored 289 publications receiving 17337 citations. Previous affiliations of Claes Fransson include Nova Southeastern University.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
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Marcos Daniel Actis1, G. Agnetta2, Felix Aharonian3, A. G. Akhperjanian +682 more•Institutions (109)
TL;DR: The ground-based gamma-ray astronomy has had a major breakthrough with the impressive results obtained using systems of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes as mentioned in this paper, which is an international initiative to build the next generation instrument, with a factor of 5-10 improvement in sensitivity in the 100 GeV-10 TeV range and the extension to energies well below 100GeV and above 100 TeV.
Abstract: Ground-based gamma-ray astronomy has had a major breakthrough with the impressive results obtained using systems of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. Ground-based gamma-ray astronomy has a huge potential in astrophysics, particle physics and cosmology. CTA is an international initiative to build the next generation instrument, with a factor of 5-10 improvement in sensitivity in the 100 GeV-10 TeV range and the extension to energies well below 100 GeV and above 100 TeV. CTA will consist of two arrays (one in the north, one in the south) for full sky coverage and will be operated as open observatory. The design of CTA is based on currently available technology. This document reports on the status and presents the major design concepts of CTA.
1,006 citations
TL;DR: The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) as discussed by the authors is a very high-energy (VHE) gamma ray observatory with an international collaboration with more than 1000 members from 27 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and North and South America.
701 citations
502 citations
Harvard University1, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research2, University of Chile3, University of Virginia4, Royal Military College of Canada5, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation6, University of Alabama in Huntsville7, Goddard Space Flight Center8, York University9, Carnegie Institution for Science10, University of Copenhagen11, Stockholm University12, University of Hawaii13, University of Arizona14
TL;DR: The discovery of luminous radio emission from the seemingly ordinary type Ibc SN 2009bb, which requires a substantial relativistic outflow powered by a central engine, is reported.
Abstract: Long duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) mark the explosive death of some massive stars and are a rare sub-class of type Ibc supernovae. They are distinguished by the production of an energetic and collimated relativistic outflow powered by a central engine (an accreting black hole or neutron star). Observationally, this outflow is manifested in the pulse of gamma-rays and a long-lived radio afterglow. Until now, central-engine-driven supernovae have been discovered exclusively through their gamma-ray emission, yet it is expected that a larger population goes undetected because of limited satellite sensitivity or beaming of the collimated emission away from our line of sight. In this framework, the recovery of undetected GRBs may be possible through radio searches for type Ibc supernovae with relativistic outflows. Here we report the discovery of luminous radio emission from the seemingly ordinary type Ibc SN 2009bb, which requires a substantial relativistic outflow powered by a central engine. A comparison with our radio survey of type Ibc supernovae reveals that the fraction harbouring central engines is low, about one per cent, measured independently from, but consistent with, the inferred rate of nearby GRBs. Independently, a second mildly relativistic supernova has been reported.
373 citations
TL;DR: In this article, it was suggested that the mechanism is X-ray synchrotron emission in a situation in which the shock wave is cosmic-ray-dominated so that the electron energy spectrum flattens at high energy.
Abstract: The presumed Wolf-Rayet star progenitors of Type Ib/c supernovae have fast, low-density winds, and the shock waves generated by the supernova interaction with the wind are not expected to be radiative at typical times of observation. The injected energy spectrum of radio-emitting electrons typically has an observed index p = 3, which is suggestive of acceleration in cosmic-ray-dominated shocks. The early, absorbed part of the radio light curves can be attributed to synchrotron self-absorption, which leads to constraints on the magnetic field in the emitting region and on the circumstellar density. The range of circumstellar densities inferred from the radio emission is somewhat broader than that for Galactic Wolf-Rayet stars, if similar efficiencies of synchrotron emission are assumed in the extragalactic supernovae. For the observed and expected ranges of circumstellar densities to roughly overlap, a high efficiency of magnetic field production in the shocked region is required (B ≈ 0.1). For the expected densities around a Wolf-Rayet star, a nonthermal mechanism is generally required to explain the observed X-ray luminosities of Type Ib/c supernovae. Inverse Compton emission is a candidate for the emission, if the observations are near optical maximum. In other cases we suggest that the mechanism is X-ray synchrotron emission in a situation in which the shock wave is cosmic-ray-dominated so that the electron energy spectrum flattens at high energy. More comprehensive X-ray observations of a Type Ib/c supernova are needed to determine whether this suggestion is correct.
331 citations
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University of California, Berkeley1, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory2, Instituto Superior Técnico3, Pierre-and-Marie-Curie University4, Stockholm University5, European Southern Observatory6, Collège de France7, University of Cambridge8, University of Barcelona9, Yale University10, Space Telescope Science Institute11, European Space Agency12, University of New South Wales13
TL;DR: In this paper, the mass density, Omega_M, and cosmological-constant energy density of the universe were measured using the analysis of 42 Type Ia supernovae discovered by the Supernova Cosmology project.
Abstract: We report measurements of the mass density, Omega_M, and
cosmological-constant energy density, Omega_Lambda, of the universe based on
the analysis of 42 Type Ia supernovae discovered by the Supernova Cosmology
Project. The magnitude-redshift data for these SNe, at redshifts between 0.18
and 0.83, are fit jointly with a set of SNe from the Calan/Tololo Supernova
Survey, at redshifts below 0.1, to yield values for the cosmological
parameters. All SN peak magnitudes are standardized using a SN Ia lightcurve
width-luminosity relation. The measurement yields a joint probability
distribution of the cosmological parameters that is approximated by the
relation 0.8 Omega_M - 0.6 Omega_Lambda ~= -0.2 +/- 0.1 in the region of
interest (Omega_M <~ 1.5). For a flat (Omega_M + Omega_Lambda = 1) cosmology we
find Omega_M = 0.28{+0.09,-0.08} (1 sigma statistical) {+0.05,-0.04}
(identified systematics). The data are strongly inconsistent with a Lambda = 0
flat cosmology, the simplest inflationary universe model. An open, Lambda = 0
cosmology also does not fit the data well: the data indicate that the
cosmological constant is non-zero and positive, with a confidence of P(Lambda >
0) = 99%, including the identified systematic uncertainties. The best-fit age
of the universe relative to the Hubble time is t_0 = 14.9{+1.4,-1.1} (0.63/h)
Gyr for a flat cosmology. The size of our sample allows us to perform a variety
of statistical tests to check for possible systematic errors and biases. We
find no significant differences in either the host reddening distribution or
Malmquist bias between the low-redshift Calan/Tololo sample and our
high-redshift sample. The conclusions are robust whether or not a
width-luminosity relation is used to standardize the SN peak magnitudes.
16,838 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the current understanding of the lives and deaths of massive stars, with special attention to the relevant nuclear and stellar physics, and focused on their post-helium-burning evolution.
Abstract: amount of energy, a tiny fraction of which is sufficient to explode the star as a supernova. The authors examine our current understanding of the lives and deaths of massive stars, with special attention to the relevant nuclear and stellar physics. Emphasis is placed upon their post-helium-burning evolution. Current views regarding the supernova explosion mechanism are reviewed, and the hydrodynamics of supernova shock propagation and ‘‘fallback’’ is discussed. The calculated neutron star masses, supernova light curves, and spectra from these model stars are shown to be consistent with observations. During all phases, particular attention is paid to the nucleosynthesis of heavy elements. Such stars are capable of producing, with few exceptions, the isotopes between mass 16 and 88 as well as a large fraction of still heavier elements made by the r and p processes.
1,981 citations
University of Chicago1, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory2, Pierre-and-Marie-Curie University3, University of Pennsylvania4, Argonne National Laboratory5, Fermilab6, University of Cape Town7, African Institute for Mathematical Sciences8, Texas A&M University9, University of Cambridge10, University of Portsmouth11, University of Toronto12, Wayne State University13, University of Colorado Boulder14, University of Tokyo15, California Institute of Technology16, University of Victoria17, University of California, Berkeley18, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign19, University of Chile20, Autonomous University of Barcelona21, Stockholm University22, University of Texas at Austin23, Princeton University24, University of Oxford25, Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network26, University of California, Santa Barbara27, Rutgers University28, University of Copenhagen29, Australian Astronomical Observatory30, Instituto Superior Técnico31, University of Utah32, Rochester Institute of Technology33, Space Telescope Science Institute34, Johns Hopkins University35, Pennsylvania State University36, University of the Western Cape37, University of Southampton38
TL;DR: In this article, the authors presented cosmological constraints from a joint analysis of type Ia supernova (SN Ia) observations obtained by the SDSS-II and SNLS collaborations.
Abstract: 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 from the SDSS-II (0.05
1,939 citations
University of Hawaii1, Australian National University2, Harvard University3, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile4, University of California, Berkeley5, University of Notre Dame6, University of Washington7, Carnegie Institution for Science8, European Southern Observatory9, Space Telescope Science Institute10, Stockholm University11
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used a prior based on the Two Degree Field (2dF) Redshift Survey constraint on ΩM and assuming a flat universe, they found that the equation of state parameter of the dark energy lies in the range -1.48 -1, and obtained w < -0.73 at 95% confidence.
Abstract: The High-z Supernova Search Team has discovered and observed eight new supernovae in the redshift interval z = 0.3-1.2. These independent observations, analyzed by similar but distinct methods, confirm the results of Riess and Perlmutter and coworkers that supernova luminosity distances imply an accelerating universe. More importantly, they extend the redshift range of consistently observed Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) to z ≈ 1, where the signature of cosmological effects has the opposite sign of some plausible systematic effects. Consequently, these measurements not only provide another quantitative confirmation of the importance of dark energy, but also constitute a powerful qualitative test for the cosmological origin of cosmic acceleration. We find a rate for SN Ia of (1.4 ± 0.5) × 10-4 h3 Mpc-3 yr-1 at a mean redshift of 0.5. We present distances and host extinctions for 230 SN Ia. These place the following constraints on cosmological quantities: if the equation of state parameter of the dark energy is w = -1, then H0t0 = 0.96 ± 0.04, and ΩΛ - 1.4ΩM = 0.35 ± 0.14. Including the constraint of a flat universe, we find ΩM = 0.28 ± 0.05, independent of any large-scale structure measurements. Adopting a prior based on the Two Degree Field (2dF) Redshift Survey constraint on ΩM and assuming a flat universe, we find that the equation of state parameter of the dark energy lies in the range -1.48 -1, we obtain w < -0.73 at 95% confidence. These constraints are similar in precision and in value to recent results reported using the WMAP satellite, also in combination with the 2dF Redshift Survey.
1,779 citations
15 Mar 1979
TL;DR: In this article, the experimental estimation of parameters for models can be solved through use of the likelihood ratio test, with particular attention to photon counting experiments, and procedures presented solve a greater range of problems than those currently in use, yet are no more difficult to apply.
Abstract: Many problems in the experimental estimation of parameters for models can be solved through use of the likelihood ratio test. Applications of the likelihood ratio, with particular attention to photon counting experiments, are discussed. The procedures presented solve a greater range of problems than those currently in use, yet are no more difficult to apply. The procedures are proved analytically, and examples from current problems in astronomy are discussed.
1,748 citations