Type II Supernovae as Probes of Cosmology
  - Constraining the cosmological parameters and understanding Dark Energy have
tremendous implications for the nature of the Universe and its physical laws.
  - The pervasive limit of systematic uncertainties reached by cosmography
based on Cepheids and Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) warrants a search for
complementary approaches.
  - Type II SNe have been shown to offer such a path. Their distances can be
well constrained by luminosity-based or geometric methods. Competing,
complementary, and concerted efforts are underway, to explore and exploit those
objects that are extremely well matched to next generation facilities.
Spectroscopic follow-up will be enabled by space- based and 20-40 meter class
telescopes.
  - Some systematic uncertainties of Type II SNe, such as reddening by dust and
metallicity effects, are bound to be different from those of SNe Ia. Their
stellar progenitors are known, promising better leverage on cosmic evolution.
In addition, their rate - which closely tracks the ongoing star formation rate
- is expected to rise significantly with look- back time, ensuring an adequate
supply of distant examples.
  - These data will competitively constrain the dark energy equation of state,
allow the determination of the Hubble constant to 5%, and promote our
understanding of the processes involved in the last dramatic phases of massive
stellar evolution.
