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Cited by 18,062Cosmology and Gravitation TheoriesGamma-ray bursts and supernovaeGalaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena

Measurements of Ω and Λ from 42 High‐Redshift Supernovae

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Perlmutter, S., Aldering, G., Goldhaber, G., Knop, R. A., Nugent, P., Castro, P. G., Deustua, S., Fabbro, S. +25 more·1999·The Astrophysical Journal
DOI 10.1086/307221
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Abstract

We report measurements of the mass density, Ω M , and cosmological-constant energy density, Ω Λ , of the universe based on the analysis of 42 type Ia supernovae discovered by the Supernova Cosmology Project. The magnitude-redshift data for these supernovae, at redshifts between 0.18 and 0.83, are fitted jointly with a set of supernovae from the Calán/Tololo Supernova Survey, at redshifts below 0.1, to yield values for the cosmological parameters. All supernova peak magnitudes are standardized using a SN Ia light-curve width-luminosity relation. The measurement yields a joint probability distribution of the cosmological parameters that is approximated by the relation 0.8Ω M -0.6Ω Λ ≈-0.2±0.1 in the region of interest (Ω M ≲1.5). For a flat (Ω M +Ω Λ =1) cosmology we find Ω M flat =0.28 +0.09 -0.08 (1 σ statistical) +0.05 -0.04 (identified systematics). The data are strongly inconsistent with a Λ=0 flat cosmology, the simplest inflationary universe model. An open, Λ=0 cosmology also does not fit the data well: the data indicate that the cosmological constant is nonzero and positive, with a confidence of P (Λ>0)=99%, including the identified systematic uncertainties. The best-fit age of the universe relative to the Hubble time is t 0 flat =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 Calán/Tololo sample and our high-redshift sample. Excluding those few supernovae that are outliers in color excess or fit residual does not significantly change the results. The conclusions are also robust whether or not a width-luminosity relation is used to standardize the supernova peak magnitudes. We discuss and constrain, where possible, hypothetical alternatives to a cosmological constant.

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87 of 87 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • In the standard model, dark energy is the cosmological constant Λ, without any strong physical basis.

    “the dark energy (DE) [6,7] component, introduced to explain the current stage of accelerated expansion, in the standard model is the cosmological constant term Λ, without any strong physical basis.”

    From Challenges of the Standard Cosmological Model (2022) · cites this paper as [7]

    The Conclusions report evidence for a positive cosmological constant, and §6.3 connects it to the transition from deceleration to acceleration. Section 6.3 also identifies theoretical puzzles about its value, but does not say that Λ has no strong physical basis or explicitly identify it as the standard model’s dark-energy component. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.80)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The universe's expansion is speeding up rather than slowing down.

    “Two decades ago, two independent groups using supernova measurements found that the universe’s expansion is speeding up rather than slowing down (Riess et al. 1998; Perlmutter et al. 1999).”

    From Testing general relativity in cosmology (2019) · cites this paper as Perlmutter et al. 1999

  • One of the first compelling evidences for cosmic acceleration came from Supernovae type Ia observations.

    “One of the first compelling evidences for cosmic acceleration came from Supernovae type Ia (SN Ia) observations (Riess et al. 1998; Perlmutter et al. 1999).”

    From Testing general relativity in cosmology (2019) · cites this paper as Perlmutter et al. 1999

  • In the presence of a small positive vacuum energy, systems will tend to initially empty out to an approximate de Sitter vacuum.

    “In the presence of a small positive vacuum energy (such as seems to exist in our universe [16, 17, 18]), systems will tend to initially empty out to an approximate de Sitter vacuum.”

    From Spontaneous inflation and the origin of the arrow of time (2004) · cites this paper as [17]

  • A mechanism for such an instability may be provided by the small positive cosmological constant that has apparently been discovered.

    “A mechanism for such an instability may be provided by the small positive cosmological constant that has apparently been discovered [16, 17, 18].”

    From Spontaneous inflation and the origin of the arrow of time (2004) · cites this paper as [17]

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Research works printed but not linked: 7

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Authors
Perlmutter, S., Aldering, G., Goldhaber, G., Knop, R. A., Nugent, P., Castro, P. G., Deustua, S., Fabbro, S., Goobar, A., Groom, D. E., Hook, I. M., Kim, A. G., Kim, M. Y., Lee, J. C., Nunes, N. J., Pain, R., Pennypacker, C. R., Quimby, R., Lidman, C., Ellis, R. S., Irwin, M., McMahon, R. G., Ruiz‐Lapuente, P., Walton, N., Schaefer, B., Boyle, B. J., Filippenko, A. V., Matheson, T., Fruchter, A. S., Panagia, N., Newberg, H. J. M., Couch, W. J., & Project, T. S. C.
Affiliations
  • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (US)
  • Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
  • European Southern Observatory (DE)
  • University of Cambridge (GB)
  • Isaac Newton Group (ES)
  • Yale University (US)
  • Australian Astronomical Observatory (AU)
  • University of California, Berkeley (US)
  • Space Telescope Science Institute (US)
  • Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (US)
  • UNSW Sydney (AU)
ORCID
Venue
The Astrophysical Journal
Publisher
American Astronomical Society
Published
1999-06
Volume
517
Issue
2
Pages
565-586
ISSN
  • 0004-637X (ISSN-L)
  • 1538-4357
DOI
10.1086/307221
OpenAlex
W1853767801
Cited by
18,062
References
83
Citations by year
2026: 700 · 2025: 976 · 2024: 989 · 2023: 863 · 2022: 759 · 2021: 778 · 2020: 744 · 2019: 784 · 2018: 718 · 2017: 725 · 2016: 819 · 2015: 741 · 2014: 757 · 2013: 894 · 2012: 822
FWCI
271.14
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Astrophysical Journal (publishedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
  • OSTI OAI (U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information) (submittedVersion)
  • Civil War Book Review (submittedVersion)
  • HAL (submittedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
  • ANU Open Research (Australian National University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (9417213)
  • France-Berkeley Fund
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Cosmology and Gravitation Theories
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena
Keywords
Type Ia supernovae, cosmological constant, matter density parameter, high-redshift supernovae, flat universe, age of the universe, Malmquist bias, systematic errors, inflationary universe

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