High-redshift supernova rates measured with the gravitational telescope A1689

Understand

We present a ground-based near-infrared search for lensed supernovae behind the massive cluster Abell 1689 at z=0.18, one of the most powerful gravitational telescopes that nature provides.

• Our survey was based on multi-epoch $J$-band observations with the HAWK-I instrument on VLT, with supporting optical data from the Nordic Optical Telescope.
• Our search resulted in the discovery of five high-redshift, $0.671<z<1.703$, photometrically classified core-collapse supernovae with magnifications in the range $\Delta m$ = $-0.31$ to $-1.58$ mag, as calculated from lensing models in the literature.
• Thanks to the power of the lensing cluster, the survey had the sensitivity to detect supernovae up to very high-redshifts, $z$$\sim$$3$, albeit for a limited region of space.