Evaluating K bands for Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Rest-Frame NIR SN Ia Distances

TL;DR

This study evaluates the potential benefits of adding a K-band filter to the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope for measuring Type Ia supernova distances in the near-infrared, optimizing survey strategies and filter ranges.

Contribution

It provides an analysis of the optimal K-band filter range and survey strategy, demonstrating a significant improvement in the rest-frame J band Figure of Merit.

Findings

Optimal K band extends from 19,000A to 23,000A.

Moving the K band much redder increases thermal background.

Adding the K band increases the rest-frame J band FoM by 59%.

Abstract

Recently, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (Roman) Project raised the possibility of adding another filter to Roman. Based on the Filter Working Group's recommendations, this filter may be a K-band filter, extending significantly redder than the current-reddest F184. Among other scientific possibilities, this K filter raises the possibility of measuring SNe Ia in the rest-frame NIR out to higher redshifts than is possible with the current filter complement. I perform a simple survey optimization for NIR SN Ia distances with Roman, simultaneously optimizing both filter cutoffs and survey strategy. I find that the roughly optimal K band extends from 19,000A--23,000A (giving exposure times roughly half that of a 20,000A--23,000A Ks filter). Moving the K much redder than this range dramatically increases the thermal background, while moving the K band much bluer limits the redshift reach. Thus I find any large modification reduces or eliminates the gain over the current F184. I consider both rest-frame Y band and rest-frame J band surveys. Although the proposed K band is too expensive for a large rest-frame Y band survey, it increases the rest-frame J Figure of Merit by 59%.