Near-IR search for lensed supernovae behind galaxy clusters: III. Implications for cluster modeling and cosmology

Understand

Massive galaxy clusters at intermediate redshifts act as gravitational lenses that can magnify supernovae (SNe) occurring in background galaxies.

• We assess the possibility to use lensed SNe to put constraints on the mass models of galaxy clusters and the Hubble parameter at high redshift.
• Due to the standard candle nature of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), observational information on the lensing magnification from an intervening galaxy cluster can be used to constrain the model for the cluster mass distribution.
• A statistical analysis using parametric cluster models was performed to investigate the possible improvements from lensed SNe Ia for the accurately modeled galaxy cluster A1689 and the less well constrained cluster A2204.