Tests of the accelerating universe with near-infrared observations of a high-redshift type Ia supernova

Abstract

We have measured the rest-frame B-, V -, and I-band light curves of a high-redshift type Ia supernova (SN Ia), SN 1999Q (z \ 0.46), using the Hubble Space T elescope (HST ) and ground-based near-infrared detectors. A goal of this study is the measurement of the color excess, a sensitive indicator ofEB~I, interstellar or intergalactic dust, which could a†ect recent cosmological measurements from high-redshift SNe Ia. Our observations disfavor a 30% opacity of SN Ia visual light by dust as an alternative to an accelerating universe. This statement applies to both Galactic-type dust (rejected at the 3.4 p conÐdence level) and grayer dust (grain size [ 0.1 km, rejected at the 2.3È2.6 p conÐdence level) as proposed by Aguirre. The rest-frame I-band light curve shows the secondary maximum 1 month after the B maximum typical of nearby SNe Ia of normal luminosity, providing no indication of evolution as a func- tion of redshift out to z B 0.5. An expanded set of similar observations could improve the constraints on any contribution of extragalactic dust to the dimming of high-redshift SNe Ia.