Re: Latest comments on the paper comparing low and high-z SNe.

From: Chris Lidman (clidman@eso.org)
Date: Thu Mar 30 2006 - 11:01:52 PST

  • Next message: Chris Lidman: "Re: Latest comments on the paper comparing low and high-z SNe."

    Hi Gabriele,
       Thanks for the paper. I'll get back too you next week. I am currently
    on Paranal at the moment
    and I am flat out coordinating the work that needs to be done for the
    ESO change of period that
    occurs on April 1st.

    Regards, Chris

    On Mar 30, 2006, at 8:54 AM, Gabriele Garavini wrote:

    > Hi Chris,
    >
    > I have been working on a new version of the evolution paper (in
    > attachment).
    > The main changes are related with figs 8, 9, 10.
    > Briefly, there was some concern on the MgII ew values pre-max for the
    > high-z, these are now solved. They were actually due to the low-z
    > sample.
    > It turned out that in the pre maximum bins the low-z sample is pretty
    > poor. The average trend is biased toward the values of 94D that seems
    > to be in some sense an outlayer.
    > I've added some warnings in the text (section 3.5) about this issue
    > and redone the plot 8, 9, 10 showing the 95% probability instead of
    > the 68%, which seems more appropriate because of the possible error in
    > the estimated central value.
    >
    > I would like to resubmit the paper next week if you agree. The journal
    > contacted me asking what was our plan for this work.
    >
    >
    > All the best
    > Hasta la vista!
    > Ciao
    > Gabriele
    >
    >
    >
    > <Evolution_v3.3.pdf>
    >
    >
    >
    > On Feb 19, 2006, at 11:39 PM, Chris Lidman wrote:
    >
    >> Hi Gabriele,
    >> Thanks for the revised version. Most of my suggestions now consist
    >> of
    >> minor tweaks to help improve the clarity of the paper.
    >>
    >> I am sure that I have missed some things, especially since I've
    >> just returned from a long shift on Paranal and I am rather
    >> tired. After you have read my comments, I suggest that you give the
    >> paper to someone in the collaboration who can carefully read the
    >> paper.
    >>
    >> I do not think that you should add new SNe to this paper. On this
    >> point,
    >> we agree. Once this paper is done, what are your plans? Are you
    >> thinking
    >> on working on the SNLS data set? This was the thrust of my question
    >> in my earlier e-mail.
    >>
    >> Regards,
    >>
    >> Chris.
    >>
    >> Abstract
    >> ========
    >>
    >> You make the following comment on the revised abstract,
    >>
    >> "In this way we are not mentioning at all the results of the EW for
    >> the
    >> low z. I know is not the main point of the paper but I wonder if it
    >> wouldn't be good to put it in the abstract for making the article
    >> more appealing."
    >>
    >> Yes, you are right. Here is another version, which could
    >> probably still use some tweaking."
    >>
    >> "We develop a method to measure the strength of the strongest
    >> absorption features in Type SNe Ia spectra and use it to make a
    >> quantitative comparison between the spectra of Type Ia supernova at
    >> low and high redshifts. Through the strength of these features and
    >> through measurements of the Ca II H and K velocity we show that the
    >> spectra of a high redshift sample, consisting of 12 SNe Ia with
    >> redshifts ranging from 0.212 to 0.912, are quantitatively similar to
    >> the spectra of a low redshift sample. One supernova in our
    >> high redshift sample, SN 2002fd at z=0.279, is found to have spectral
    >> characteristics that are associated with peculiar 91T/99aa-like
    >> supernovae."
    >>
    >> A general comment
    >> =================
    >>
    >> In many places of the paper you use the acronym EW. This is OK, but it
    >> can lead to clumsy word constructions in some cases. I take the the
    >> first line in the caption of Fig. 4 as an example. Which do you think
    >> is better,
    >>
    >> "Measured EW values corresponding to ..."
    >>
    >> or
    >>
    >> "Equivalent width of the Fe II 4800 feature as a function of phase."
    >>
    >> Sometimes, it is better to spell out the acronym. This was one
    >> example.
    >> There are others.
    >>
    >> Section 1
    >> =========
    >>
    >> 4th paragraph
    >>
    >> The Balland et al. paper (A&A, 445, 397) is now out. We should add
    >> this article
    >> to the list of references in the last sentence.
    >>
    >> Section 2.1
    >> ===========
    >>
    >> 2nd paragraph
    >>
    >> "... over luminous object" -> "... over-luminous objects"
    >>
    >> Rephrase the sentence that starts with "Therefore, we consider ..." to
    >>
    >> "The additional scatter that would be introduced by using data with
    >> lower
    >> signal-to-noise ratios would obfuscate the result"
    >>
    >> or something similar.
    >>
    >> 3rd paragraph
    >>
    >> "... error spectrum. It was ..." -> "... error spectrum, which was
    >> ..."
    >>
    >> 4th paragraph
    >>
    >> "The estimated galaxy contamination, ..." -> "The contribution of the
    >> galaxy
    >> light, ..."
    >>
    >> Figure 1 is a good start. One of the things we need to be aware of, is
    >> that non-experts may think that the SNe spectra in this figure are
    >> poor when the opposite is true. It is important that we do not create
    >> a negative impression with this figure. Here are some suggestions to
    >> make it better.
    >>
    >> - For SNe with z > 0.4, put the label on the right. This will reduce
    >> the
    >> amount white space that is in the figure.
    >>
    >> - Make the SN labels larger
    >>
    >> - Remove the word epoch, put the epoch in brackets and add a note in
    >> the
    >> text explaining what the number in brackets means.
    >>
    >> - Mark the regions that are used in the EW analysis. See Balland
    >> et al. for an example.
    >>
    >> - Try smoothing the data with a Savitsky-Golay filter. See Balland et
    >> al.
    >>
    >>
    >> Section 2.3
    >> ===========
    >>
    >> 1st paragraph
    >>
    >> Maybe it is worth explaining what 91Taa means when it is first
    >> used. E.g. you could say, "(We follow the convention of Li et al. when
    >> describing 91T/99aa-like SNe by using 99Taa to represent this SN
    >> subtype.)."
    >>
    >> Rephrase
    >>
    >> "The Ca II H&K feature ... SN 1991T like SNe."
    >>
    >> to read
    >>
    >> "The Ca II H&K feature in SN 2002fd is more prominent than the Ca II
    >> H&K feature in SN 1991T, but less prominent than the Ca II
    >> H&K feature in normal SNe Ia, such as SN 1994D."
    >>
    >> or
    >>
    >> "The strength of the Ca II H&K feature in SN 2002fd is between
    >> that of 91Taa-like and normal SNe."
    >>
    >> Table 1.
    >>
    >> The font for footnotes "a" through "d" in the table is different to
    >> the font used below the table. Same comment applies to Table 2.
    >>
    >> Replace
    >>
    >> "that could affect the cosmological measurements".
    >>
    >> with
    >>
    >> ", which might affect the derivation of cosmological parameters
    >> from SNe Ia."
    >>
    >> Section 3
    >> =========
    >>
    >> 1st paragraph
    >>
    >> "phase" -> "phase,"
    >>
    >> "distribution properties" -> "distributions,"
    >>
    >> "see for a review Filippenko (1997)" -> "see Filippenko (1997) for a
    >> review"
    >>
    >> "case" -> "cases"
    >>
    >> "severe" -> "dramatic"
    >>
    >> "and Type Ia subtypes have been identified to account for a
    >> morphological classification"
    >>
    >> ->
    >>
    >> "resulting in the definition of SNe Ia sub-types."
    >>
    >> "dishomogeneities" -> "dissimilarities"
    >>
    >> "my means" -> "by means"
    >>
    >> 2nd paragraph
    >>
    >> "compare" -> "comparing"
    >>
    >> "In the following section EW is defined and the properties are ...
    >> discussed"
    >>
    >> ->
    >>
    >> "In the following sections, we describe how we measure the EW of the
    >> broad absorption features in SN Ia spectra and we apply it to a sample
    >> of nearby SNe Ia."
    >>
    >> I suggest that you delete the last three sentences in this paragraph,
    >> unless
    >> you are sure that Gaston will publish his paper.
    >>
    >> Section 3.1
    >> ===========
    >>
    >> The first and second paragraph needs some rewording.
    >>
    >> 2nd paragraph
    >>
    >> "i.e." -> "because of"
    >>
    >> 3rd paragraph
    >>
    >> "As already mentioned" -> "As already mentioned,"
    >>
    >> In the footnote 3 on the bottom of page 6.
    >>
    >> "and the possible" -> "with the possible"
    >>
    >> In the last paragraph you can say "By definition, the rest frame EW
    >> ..."
    >> and you can then delete the parenthetical remark.
    >>
    >> Section 3.2
    >> ===========
    >>
    >> In the spirit of the titles you have used for sections 3.1 and 3.2, I
    >> would
    >> suggest the abbreviated title - "Measurement technique"
    >>
    >> 1st paragraph
    >>
    >> "Measuring EW ..." -> "Measuring the EW ..."
    >>
    >> "since the identification of the local maxima bounding ... visually."
    >>
    >> ->
    >>
    >> "since the local maxima bounding an absorption feature can be
    >> identified
    >> easily."
    >>
    >>
    >> "poor quality spectra" -> "low signal-to-noise data" I prefer this
    >> because the
    >> high redshift data are not poor quality data.
    >>
    >> "complex" -> "difficult"
    >>
    >> Delete the word practical
    >>
    >> "which minimize" -> "that minimizes"
    >>
    >> In the list of items on page 7.
    >>
    >> "on Eqn. 1" -> "in Eqn. 1"
    >>
    >> "To the data, ..." -> "A straight line is fitted to the data in the
    >> fitting
    >> regions"
    >>
    >> 2nd paragraph
    >>
    >> "Larger wavelength span would ..." -> "Larger wavelength spans would
    >> ..."
    >>
    >> Section 3.3
    >> ===========
    >>
    >> Last paragraph
    >>
    >> "presents photometric" -> "has photometric"
    >>
    >> "which make" -> "that make"
    >>
    >> Section 3.4
    >> ===========
    >>
    >> Last paragraph
    >>
    >> "The decrease of EW ..." -> "The decrease in the EW ..."
    >>
    >> Delete "by giving the relative decrease ... types."
    >>
    >> You can then adjust the title of Table 6 to read
    >>
    >> "The fractional decrease in the EW corresponding to a 10% increase in
    >> the
    >> amount of contamination from the host."
    >>
    >> Replace
    >>
    >> "Since the SNe ... on that end"
    >>
    >> with
    >>
    >> "Since SNe Ia near maximum light are generally bluer than their hosts,
    >> errors in estimating the amount of host galaxy contamination
    >> leads the larger EW errors for features at redder wavelengths."
    >>
    >>
    >> Section 3.5
    >> ===========
    >>
    >> 1st paragraph
    >>
    >> The first sentence is not necessary. The second is sufficient.
    >>
    >> Section 3.5.1
    >> =============
    >>
    >> 1st paragraph
    >>
    >> "The values of the EW increase constantly ..." -> "The EW increases
    >> ..."
    >>
    >> 3rd paragraph.
    >>
    >> The paragraphs starts with "This", which might confuse the
    >> reader. Perhaps, the new paragraph should start with the 2nd last
    >> sentence of the 2nd paragraph, i.e. the one that starts with "The
    >> different sub-types ..."
    >>
    >> \delta is used in the text, \Sigma in the table. Actually, in this
    >> case
    >> \delta is more appropriate for columns 6 and 8. I'm sorry if I have
    >> changed my mind on this point.
    >>
    >> \delta is in the footnote. The footnote appears on the page before
    >> the table.
    >>
    >> Section 3.5.2
    >> =============
    >>
    >> 3rd paragraph.
    >>
    >> "Other SN subtype ..." -> "Other SN subtypes ..."
    >>
    >> Section 4
    >> =========
    >>
    >> in point 2
    >>
    >> "equivalent width measurements" -> "the equivalent widths"
    >>
    >> Section 4.1.1
    >> =============
    >>
    >> 1st paragraph
    >>
    >> "would tend to" -> "might"
    >>
    >> 3rd paragraph
    >>
    >> "data quality range found in our data set" -> "signal-to-noise ratios
    >> in the
    >> data,"
    >>
    >> "estime" -> "estimate"
    >>
    >> The biggest weakness of the technique we use to estimate the amount of
    >> host galaxy subtraction is that we use a fixed number of galaxy
    >> templates.
    >> In real data, host galaxy SEDs will be more varied, so the estimate in
    >> how accurate we can remove the flux of the host galaxy is probably
    >> an underestimate.
    >>
    >> Section 4.1.2
    >> =============
    >>
    >> 1st paragraph.
    >>
    >> "Figs. 9 and 8" -> "Figs. 8 and 9"
    >>
    >> EW's indicates possession, which is not the case here. Use EWS.
    >> Personally,
    >> I find the acronym EWS rather ugly. It might look nicer if you spell
    >> out the acronym. Also "measured EW values" is better written
    >> "equivalent
    >> widths".
    >>
    >> The semi-colon after "parenthesis" should be a full stop.
    >>
    >> "possible fitting regions uncertainties" -> "possible fitting region
    >> uncertainties"
    >>
    >> 5th paragraph
    >>
    >> "Fig. 10 show" -> "Fig. 10 shows" and a full stop at the end of the
    >> sentence.
    >>
    >> "low-redshift normal and under-luminous" -> normal and under-luminous
    >> low-reshift"
    >>
    >> Last paragraph.
    >>
    >> "lower metallicity progenitor" -> "lower metallicity progenitors"
    >>
    >> The other possibility, of course, is that the Lentz models are wrong.
    >>
    >> Table 10.
    >>
    >> The first sentence is messy. Try
    >>
    >> A statistical comparison of the equivalent widths of high-redshift SNe
    >> with the equivalent widths of normal and under-luminous low-redshift
    >> SNe.
    >>
    >> If it is possible, replace the word "faint" with the word
    >> "under-luminous",
    >> so that it is clear that the faint and under-luminous SNe are the
    >> same.
    >>
    >> Section 5
    >> =========
    >>
    >> 1st paragraph
    >>
    >> "We also find based on spectral properties alone that, .." -> "We also
    >> find, based on spectral properties alone, that ..."
    >>
    >> 3rd paragraph
    >>
    >> "EWof" -> "EW of" (occurs twice)
    >>
    >> Last paragraph.
    >>
    >>
    >> "difference in" -> "differences between"
    >> "has" -> "has been" in the last sentence
    >>
    >> I feel that something is lacking in this paragraph.
    >>
    >> European Southern Observatory
    >> Alonso de Cordova 3107, Vitacura
    >> Casilla 19001, Santiago 19
    >> CHILE
    >>
    >> Ph. 56 2 463 3106
    >> FAX 56 2 463 3001
    >>
    >>
    > ========================================================
    > Department of Physics, Stockholm University
    > AlbaNova University Center, SE-106 91 Stockholm, SWEDEN
    > Fax: +46 8 55378601 Phone: +46 8 55378769 ,
    > e-mail: gabri@physto.se
    > ICQ: 148161845, AIM: gabrigaravini, msn: garavini@in2p3.fr
    > skype: gabrielegaravini
    >
    >
    >
    European Southern Observatory
    Alonso de Cordova 3107, Vitacura
    Casilla 19001, Santiago 19
    CHILE

    Ph. 56 2 463 3106
    FAX 56 2 463 3001



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