The SNAP Dark Energy Mission: Science Requirements, Mission Design and R and D Status
- Paper number
IAC-07-A3.1.10
- Author
Mr. Roger Malina, CNRS/Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, France
- Year
2007
- Abstract
This paper is presented by Roger F Malina on behalf of the SNAP Collaboration: SNAP , The Super Nova Acceleration Probe satellite experiment, is specifically designed to reveal the nature of the dark energy causing the acceleration of the expansion of the universe. It will characterize the dark energy density, equation of state, and time variation by precisely and accurately measuring the distance-redshift relation of Type Ia supernovae and carrying out a deep, wide area weak gravitational lensing survey.
The Mission is currently under definition and R and D development by the US Department of Energy with involvement of the CNES. It is under study by NASA as one of the possible missions for selection under the NASA-DOE Joint Dark Energy Mission.
A carefully calibrated, systematics controlled sample of some 2000 supernovae over the full redshift range to z=1.7 will allow determination of the expansion history of the universe over the last 10 billion years to 1
SNAP maps the geometric and dynamic effects of dark energy through the growth history of large scale structure using weak gravitational lensing. This detects the subtle shape distortions of background galaxy images by foreground mass concentrations. Space is the ideal locale for such observations due to the high resolution and stability of the imaging, as well as the ability to use infrared measurements to obtain accurate photometric redshifts and greater redshift depth. Dedicated wide surveys of several thousand square degrees will be used to carry out weak lensing analyses.
The survey strategy brings together a deep, repeated, supernova oriented survey of 15 square degrees, achieving depths fainter than AB magnitude 30; a wide, lensing oriented survey of 300-1000 square degrees, to AB mag 28; and possibly a panoramic survey of 7000-10000 square degrees to AB mag 27. The combination of supernovae and lensing data provides powerful complementarity and crosschecks, as well as independence, with no external priors needed. The matter density, dark energy density, and flatness of the universe can be determined at the 1
In this paper we will summarise the science requirements, current mission concept and design, and highlight the R and D projects that have been used to reduce or eliminate key mission and technology risk areas.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-07-A3.1.10.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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