Exploring the cosmological consequences of JLA supernova data with
  improved flux-averaging technique
  In this work, we explore the cosmological consequences of the "Joint
Light-curve Analysis" (JLA) supernova (SN) data by using an improved
flux-averaging (FA) technique, in which only the type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) at
high redshift are flux-averaged. Adopting the criterion of figure of Merit
(FoM) and considering six dark energy (DE) parameterizations, we search the
best FA recipe that gives the tightest DE constraints in the $(z_{cut}, \Delta
z)$ plane, where $z_{cut}$ and $\Delta z$ are redshift cut-off and redshift
interval of FA, respectively. Then, based on the best FA recipe obtained, we
discuss the impacts of varying $z_{cut}$ and varying $\Delta z$, revisit the
evolution of SN color luminosity parameter $\beta$, and study the effects of
adopting different FA recipe on parameter estimation. We find that: (1) The
best FA recipe is $(z_{cut} = 0.6, \Delta z=0.06)$, which is insensitive to a
specific DE parameterization. (2) Flux-averaging JLA samples at $z_{cut} \geq
0.4$ will yield tighter DE constraints than the case without using FA. (3)
Using FA can significantly reduce the redshift-evolution of $\beta$. (4) The
best FA recipe favors a larger fractional matter density $\Omega_{m}$. In
summary, we present an alternative method of dealing with JLA data, which can
reduce the systematic uncertainties of SNe Ia and give the tighter DE
constraints at the same time. Our method will be useful in the use of SNe Ia
data for precision cosmology.
