Evolution of Supernova Explosion Rates in the Universe

Abstract

The prospects of detecting extragalactic supernovae (SNs) down to visual magnitudes 2325 give us hope for observing them in the most distant parts of the universe. Using a Monte Carlo method of stellar population synthesis (the Scenario Machine), we compute, under standard assumptions of stellar evolution, the rates of SNs of various types in a model galaxy and evaluate the SN rates in the universe. The expected cumulative distribution log N [ m (number of events [ stellar magnitude) is calculated for various SN types and di erent star formation histories in the universe. The results are also presented in terms of evolution of supernova units with redshifts. Recent observational data on the high-redshift SN Ia rate are in good agreement with our predictions for the relative density of baryons contained in stars at the present time () * \ 0.0057).