A targeted search for strongly lensed supernovae with the Las Cumbres Observatory

Understand

Gravitationally lensed supernovae (glSNe) are of interest for time delay cosmology and SN physics.

• However, glSNe detections are rare, owing to the intrinsic rarity of SN explosions, the necessity of alignment with a foreground lens, and the relatively short window of detectability.
• We present the Las Cumbres Observatory Lensed Supernova Search, LCOLSS, a targeted survey designed for detecting glSNe in known strong lensing systems.
• Using cadenced r'-band imaging, LCOLSS targeted 114 galaxy-galaxy lensing systems with high expected SN rates, based on estimated star formation rates.