Lethal radiation from nearby supernovae helps to explain the small
  cosmological constant
  The observed value $\Lambda_{\rm obs}$ of the cosmological constant $\Lambda$
is extremely smaller than theoretical expectations, and the anthropic argument
has been proposed as a solution to this problem because galaxies do not form
when $\Lambda \gg \Lambda_{\rm obs}$. However, the contemporary galaxy
formation theory predicts that stars form even with a high value of $\Lambda /
\Lambda_{\rm obs} \sim$ 50, which makes the anthropic argument less persuasive.
Here we calculate the probability distribution of $\Lambda$ using a model of
cosmological galaxy formation, considering extinction of observers caused by
radiation from nearby supernovae. The life survival probability decreases in a
large $\Lambda$ universe because of higher stellar density. Using a reasonable
rate of lethal supernovae, we find that the mean expectation value of $\Lambda$
can be close to $\Lambda_{\rm obs}$, and hence this effect may be essential to
understand the small but nonzero value of $\Lambda$. It is predicted that we
are located on the edge of habitable regions about stellar density in the
Galaxy, which may be tested by future exoplanet studies.
