0000000001331306
AUTHOR
J. A. Muñoz
showing 52 related works from this author
MICROLENSING OF QUASAR ULTRAVIOLET IRON EMISSION
2013
We measure the differential microlensing of the UV Fe II and Fe III emission line blends between 14 quasar image pairs in 13 gravitational lenses. We find that the UV iron emission is strongly microlensed in four cases with amplitudes comparable to that of the continuum. Statistically modeling the magnifications, we infer a typical size of r{sub s}∼4√(M/M{sub ⊙}) light-days for the Fe line-emitting regions, which is comparable to the size of the region generating the UV continuum (∼3-7 light-days). This may indicate that a significant part of the UV Fe II and Fe III emission originates in the quasar accretion disk.
THE AVERAGE SIZE AND TEMPERATURE PROFILE OF QUASAR ACCRETION DISKS
2014
We use multi-wavelength microlensing measurements of a sample of 10 image pairs from 8 lensed quasars to study the structure of their accretion disks. By using spectroscopy or narrow band photometry we have been able to remove contamination from the weakly microlensed broad emission lines, extinction and any uncertainties in the large-scale macro magnification of the lens model. We determine a maximum likelihood estimate for the exponent of the size versus wavelength scaling ($r_s\propto \lambda^p$ corresponding to a disk temperature profile of $T\propto r^{-1/p}$) of $p=0.75^{+0.2}_{-0.2}$, and a Bayesian estimate of $p=0.8\pm0.2$, which are significantly smaller than the prediction of thi…
Study of the Extended Narrow‐Line Region in the Host Galaxy of the Lensed QSO 2237+0305 (z= 1.69)
2004
The detection of spatially extended line emission in multiply imaged QSOs offers a new possibility to study the properties (kinematics and structure) of the ionized gas in the host galaxies of high-redshift QSOs. We have studied the arc of extended emission detected in Q2237+0305, finding that it arises from the core of the C III] λ1909 emission line and that the emission in the wings is compact. From the morphology of the emission-line profiles we have identified an additional narrow emission line component affecting the core of the spectra in the region of the arc (around component D). The kinematic analysis shows that the extended narrow-line region (NLR) exhibits broadening similar to t…
GLITP optical monitoring of QSO 0957+561: VR light curves and variability
2003
The GLITP collaboration observed the first gravitational lens system (QSO 0957+561) from 2000 February 3 to 2000 March 31. The daily VR observations were made with the 2.56-m Nordic Optical Telescope at Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, La Palma (Spain). We have derived detailed and robust VR light curves of the two components Q0957+561A and Q0957+561B. In spite of the excellent sampling rate, we have not found evidence in favor of true daily variability. With respect to variability on time-scales of several weeks, we measure VR gradients of about -0.8 mmag/day in Q0957+561A and + 0.3 mmag/day in Q0957+561B. The gradients are very probably originated in the far source, thus adopting this …
New VR magnification ratios of QSO 0957+561
2004
We present VR magnification ratios of QSO 0957+561, which are inferred from the GLITP light curves of Q0957+561A and new frames taken with the 2.56m Nordic Optical Telescope about 14 months after the GLITP monitoring. From two photometric approaches and a reasonable range for the time delay in the system (415-430 days), we do not obtain achromatic optical continuum ratios, but ratios depending on the wavelength. These new measurements are consistent with differential extinction in the lens galaxy, the Lyman limit system, the damped Ly-alpha system, or the host galaxy of the QSO. The possible values for the differential extinction and the ratio of total to selective extinction in the V band …
Microlensing of the broad emission lines in 27 gravitationally lensed quasars. Broad line region structure and kinematics
2021
We thank the anonymous referee for the helpful comments and the constructive remarks on this manuscript. C.F. acknowledges the financial support the Tel Aviv University and University of Haifa through a DFG grant HA3555-14/1. E.M. and J.A.M are supported by the Spanish MINECO with the grants AYA2016- 79104-C3-1-P and AYA2016-79104-C3-3-P. J.A.M. is also supported from the Generalitat Valenciana project of excellence Prometeo/2020/085. J.J.V. is supported by the project AYA2017-84897-P financed by the Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competividad and by the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), and by project FQM-108 financed by Junta de Andalucia. V.M. acknowledges partial support f…
OBSERVATIONS OF THE LENSED QUASAR Q2237+0305 WITH CANARICAM AT GTC
2016
We present new mid-IR observations of the quadruply lensed quasar Q2237+0305 taken with CanariCam on the Gran Telescopio Canarias. Mid-IR emission by hot dust, unlike the optical and near-IR emission from the accretion disk, is unaffected by the interstellar medium (extinction/scattering) or stellar microlensing. We compare these "true" ratios to the (stellar) microlensed flux ratios observed in the optical/near-IR to constrain the structure of the quasar accretion disk. We find a half-light radius of $R_{1/2}=3.4_{-2.1}^{+5.3}\sqrt{\langle M \rangle/0.3\,\rm{M_{\odot}}}$ light-days at $\lambda_{rest}=1736$ {\AA}, and an exponent for the temperature profile $R \propto \lambda^{p}$ of $p=0.7…
The Redshift Distribution of Flat-Spectrum Radio Sources
2003
The redshift distribution of flat-spectrum radio sources with 5 GHz flux densities S>5 mJy is a key component in using current radio lens surveys to probe the cosmological model. We have constructed the first flat-spectrum radio sample in the flux density range 3-20 mJy. Our new sample has 33 sources; we have determined the redshifts of 14 of these (42% complete). The low mean redshift, ~0.75, of our faintest sample needs to be confirmed by further observations to improve the sample completeness. We also increased the redshift completeness of several surveys of brighter flat-spectrum sources. While the mean redshift, ~1.1 of flat-spectrum samples fainter than 1 Jy is nearly constant, the fr…
RESOLVING THE INNERMOST REGION OF THE ACCRETION DISK OF THE LENSED QUASAR Q2237+0305 THROUGH GRAVITATIONAL MICROLENSING
2015
We study three high magnification microlensing events, generally recognized as probable caustic crossings, in the optical light curves of the multiply imaged quasar Q 2237+0305. We model the light curve of each event as the convolution of a standard thin disk luminosity profile with a straight fold caustic. We also allow for a linear gradient that can account for an additional varying background effect of microlensing. This model not only matches noticeably well the global shape of each of the three independent microlensing events but also gives remarkably similar estimates for the disk size parameter. The measured average half-light radius, $R_{1/2}=(3.0\pm 1.5)\sqrt{M/0.3M\odot}$ light-da…
Measuring Supermassive Black Hole Masses: Correlation between the Redshifts of the Fe III UV Lines and the Widths of Broad Emission Lines
2019
We test the recently proposed (Mediavilla et al. 2018) black hole mass scaling relationship based on the redshift {with respect to the quasar's rest frame} of the Fe III$\lambda\lambda$2039-2113 line blend. To this end, we fit this feature in the spectra of a well suited sample of quasars, observed with X-shooter at the Very Large Telescope (VLT), whose masses have been independently estimated using the virial theorem. For the quasars of this sample we consistently confirm the redshift of the Fe III$\lambda\lambda$2039-2113 blend and find that it correlates with the squared widths of H$\beta$, H$\alpha$ and Mg II, which are commonly used as a measure of $M_{BH}/R$ to determine masses from t…
Debilidad en hemicuerpo izquierdo en paciente con herpes zóster cervical
2019
Resumen El herpes zoster es una enfermedad frecuente en atencion primaria; sin embargo, la paresia segmentaria, como es el caso que exponemos, es una complicacion rara. Presentamos el caso de un varon de 63 anos que acudio a la consulta por lesiones cutaneas en el brazo izquierdo de 9 dias de evolucion acompanadas de debilidad en el hemicuerpo izquierdo. Presentaba lesiones compatibles con herpes zoster en el dermatoma C5 izquierdo. La exploracion motora mostro hemiparesia izquierda con debilidad en la abduccion de hombro (4/5), flexion y extension del codo (4/5), flexion de dedos de la mano (4/5), flexion dorsal del pie (3/5) y extension del primer dedo del pie (3/5). Destacaron una dismin…
The extinction law in high redshift galaxies
2004
We estimate the dust extinction laws in two intermediate redshift galaxies. The dust in the lens galaxy of LBQS1009-0252, which has an estimated lens redshift of zl~0.88, appears to be similar to that of the SMC with no significant feature at 2175 A. Only if the lens galaxy is at a redshift of zl~0.3, completely inconsistent with the galaxy colors, luminosity or location on the fundamental plane, can the data be fit with a normal Galactic extinction curve. The dust in the zl=0.68 lens galaxy for B0218+357, whose reddened image lies behind a molecular cloud, requires a very flat ultraviolet extinction curve with (formally) R(V)=12 +- 2. Both lens systems seem to have unusual extinction curve…
The structure of the accretion disk in the lensed quasar SBS 0909+532
2011
We derive the size and temperature profile of the accretion disk of the lensed quasar SBS 0909+532 by measuring the wavelength dependence (chromaticity) of the microlensing magnification produced by the stars in the lens galaxy. After correcting for extinction using the flux ratios of 14 emission lines, we observe a marked change in the B-A flux ratio with wavelength, varying from -0.67 ± 0.05 mag at (rest frame) ∼1460 Åto -0.24 ± 0.07 mag at ∼6560 Å. For λ ≳ 7000 both effects, extinction and microlensing, look minimal. Simulations indicate that image B rather than A is strongly microlensed. If we model the change in disk size from 1460 Å to 6560 Å using a Gaussian source (I exp(-R 2/2r 2 s…
A Study of the Correlation between the Amplification of the Fe Kα Line and the X‐Ray Continuum of Quasars due to Microlensing
2006
The observed enhancement of the Fe Kα line in three gravitationally lensed QSOs (MG J0414+0534, QSO 2237+0305, and H1413+117) is interpreted in terms of microlensing, even when equivalent X-ray continuum amplification is not observed. In order to interpret these observations, first we studied the effects of microlensing on quasar spectra produced by a straight fold caustic crossing over a standard relativistic accretion disk. The disk emission was analyzed using the ray-tracing method, considering Schwarzschild and Kerr metrics. When the emission is separated into two regions (an inner disk corresponding to the Fe Kα line and an outer annulus corresponding to the continuum, or vice versa), …
A Study of Gravitational Lens Chromaticity using Ground-based Narrow Band Photometry
2011
We present observations of wavelength-dependent flux ratios for four gravitational lens systems (SDSS~J1650+4251, HE~0435$-$1223, FBQ 0951+2635, and Q~0142$-$100) obtained with the Nordic Optical Telescope. The use of narrowband photometry, as well as the excellent seeing conditions during the observations, allows us to study their chromatic behavior. For SDSS~J1650+4251, we determine the extinction curve of the dust in the $z_L=0.58$ lens galaxy and find that the 2175 \AA \ feature is absent. In the case of HE~0435$-$1223, we clearly detect chromatic microlensing. This allows us to estimate the wavelength-dependent size of the accretion disk. We find an R-band disk size of $r^{R}_s=13\pm5$…
Photometric and Spectroscopic Properties of Type Ia Supernova 2018oh with Early Excess Emission from the $Kepler$ 2 Observations
2019
Supernova (SN) 2018oh (ASASSN-18bt) is the first spectroscopically-confirmed type Ia supernova (SN Ia) observed in the $Kepler$ field. The $Kepler$ data revealed an excess emission in its early light curve, allowing to place interesting constraints on its progenitor system (Dimitriadis et al. 2018, Shappee et al. 2018b). Here, we present extensive optical, ultraviolet, and near-infrared photometry, as well as dense sampling of optical spectra, for this object. SN 2018oh is relatively normal in its photometric evolution, with a rise time of 18.3$\pm$0.3 days and $\Delta$m$_{15}(B)=0.96\pm$0.03 mag, but it seems to have bluer $B - V$ colors. We construct the "uvoir" bolometric light curve hav…
PROBING THE DARK MATTER RADIAL PROFILE IN LENS GALAXIES AND THE SIZE OF X-RAY EMITTING REGION IN QUASARS WITH MICROLENSING
2015
We use X-ray and optical microlensing measurements to study the shape of the dark matter density profile in the lens galaxies and the size of the (soft) X-ray emission region. We show that single epoch X-ray microlensing is sensitive to the source size. Our results, in good agreement with previous estimates, show that the size of the X-ray emission region scales roughly linearly with the black hole mass, with a half-light radius of where . This corresponds to a size of or ?1 lt-day for a black hole mass of . We simultaneously estimated the fraction of the local surface mass density in stars, finding that the stellar mass fraction is ? = 0.20 ? 0.05 at an average radius of , where Re is the …
Limits on the Mass and Abundance of Primordial Black Holes from Quasar Gravitational Microlensing
2017
The idea that dark matter can be made of intermediate-mass primordial black holes in the $10M_\odot \lesssim M \lesssim 200M_\odot$ range has recently been reconsidered, particularly in the light of the detection of gravitational waves by the LIGO experiment. The existence of even a small fraction of dark matter in black holes should nevertheless result in noticeable quasar gravitational microlensing. Quasar microlensing is sensitive to any type of compact objects in the lens galaxy, to their abundance, and to their mass. We have analyzed optical and X-ray microlensing data from 24 gravitationally lensed quasars to estimate the abundance of compact objects in a very wide range of masses. We…
A Robust Determination of the size of quasar accretion disks using gravitational microlensing
2012
Using microlensing measurements from a sample of 27 image-pairs of 19 lensed quasars we determine a maximum likelihood estimate for the accretion disk size of an {{\em}average} quasar of $r_s=4.0^{+2.4}_{-3.1} $ light days at rest frame $=1736$\AA\ for microlenses with a mean mass of $=0.3M_\odot$. This value, in good agreement with previous results from smaller samples, is roughly a factor of 5 greater than the predictions of the standard thin disk model. The individual size estimates for the 19 quasars in our sample are also in excellent agreement with the results of the joint maximum likelihood analysis.
MOA-2011-BLG-293Lb: A test of pure survey microlensing planet detections
2012
Because of the development of large-format, wide-field cameras, microlensing surveys are now able to monitor millions of stars with sufficient cadence to detect planets. These new discoveries will span the full range of significance levels including planetary signals too small to be distinguished from the noise. At present, we do not understand where the threshold is for detecting planets. MOA-2011-BLG-293Lb is the first planet to be published from the new surveys, and it also has substantial followup observations. This planet is robustly detected in survey+followup data (Delta chi^2 ~ 5400). The planet/host mass ratio is q=5.3+/- 0.2*10^{-3}. The best fit projected separation is s=0.548+/-…
Some topological properties of the Inverse Lens Mapping
2011
Away from critical curves, lens mapping can be seen as a linear invertible transformation of the plane even for regions (cells) of relatively large size. However, close to critical curves the departures from linearity can be very strong. We discuss the topological problems induced by the mapping of regions of the image plane that include critical curves (critical cells).
VLBI imaging of the gravitational lens MGJ0414+0534
2000
6 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics.-- Final full-text version of the paper available at: http://aa.springer.de/papers/0362003/2300845.pdf
Dark Matter Fraction in Lens Galaxies: New Estimates from Microlensing
2014
We present a joint estimate of the stellar/dark matter mass fraction in lens galaxies and the average size of the accretion disk of lensed quasars from microlensing measurements of 27 quasar image pairs seen through 19 lens galaxies. The Bayesian estimate for the fraction of the surface mass density in the form of stars is $\alpha=0.21\pm0.14$ near the Einstein radius of the lenses ($\sim 1 - 2$ effective radii). The estimate for the average accretion disk size is $R_{1/2}=7.9^{+3.8}_{-2.6}\sqrt{M/0.3M_\sun}$ light days. The fraction of mass in stars at these radii is significantly larger than previous estimates from microlensing studies assuming quasars were point-like. The corresponding l…
Structure of the Accretion Disk in the Lensed Quasar Q2237+0305 from Multi-Epoch and Multi-Wavelength Narrow Band Photometry
2015
We present estimates for the size and the logarithmic slope of the disk temperature profile of the lensed quasar Q2237+0305, independent of the component velocities. These estimates are based on six epochs of multi-wavelength narrowband images from the Nordic Optical Telescope. For each pair of lensed images and each photometric band, we determine the microlensing amplitude and chromaticity using pre-existing mid-IR photometry to define the baseline for no microlensing magnification. A statistical comparison of the combined microlensing data (6 epochs $\times$ 5 narrow bands $\times$ 6 image pairs) with simulations based on microlensing magnification maps gives Bayesian estimates for the ha…
Microlensing of the Fe K$\alpha$ line and the X-ray continuum
2005
The observed enhancement of the Fe K$\alpha$ line in three gravitationally lensed QSOs (MG J0414+0534, QSO 2237+0305, H1413+117) is interpreted in terms of microlensing, even when equivalent X-ray continuum amplification is not observed. In order to interpret these observations, first we studied the effects of microlensing on quasars spectra, produced by straight fold caustic crossing over standard relativistic accretion disk. The disk emission was analyzed using the ray tracing method, considering Schwarzschild and Kerr metrics. When the emission is separated in two regions (an inner disk corresponding to the Fe K$\alpha$ line and an outer annulus corresponding to the continuum, or vice-ve…
Size of the accretion disk in the gravitationally lensed quasar SDSS J1004+4112 from the statistics of microlensing magnifications
2016
We present eight monitoring seasons of the four brightest images of the gravitational lens SDSS J1004+4112 observed between December 2003 and October 2010. Using measured time delays for the images A, B and C and the model predicted time delay for image D we have removed the intrinsic quasar variability, finding microlensing events of about 0.5 and 0.7 mag of amplitude in the images C and D. From the statistics of microlensing amplitudes in images A, C, and D, we have inferred the half-light radius (at {\lambda} rest = 2407 {\AA}) for the accretion disk using two different methods, $R_{1/2}=8.7^{+18.5}_{-5.5} \sqrt{M/0.3 M_\odot}$ (histograms product) and $R_{1/2} = 4.2^{+3.2}_{-2.2} \sqrt{…
The Impact of the Mass Spectrum of Lenses in Quasar Microlensing Studies. Constraints on a Mixed Population of Primordial Black Holes and Stars
2020
We show that quasar microlensing magnification statistics induced by a population of point microlenses distributed according to a mass-spectrum can be very well approximated by that of a single-mass, "monochromatic", population. When the spatial resolution (physically defined by the source size) is small as compared with the Einstein radius, the mass of the monochromatic population matches the geometric mean of the mass-spectrum. Otherwise, the best-fit mass can be larger. Taking into account the degeneracy with the geometric mean, the interpretation of quasar microlensing observations under the hypothesis of a mixed population of primordial black holes and stars, makes the existence of a s…
Statistics of Microlensing Caustic Crossings in Q~2237+0305: Peculiar Velocity of the Lens Galaxy and Accretion Disk Size
2014
We use the statistics of caustic crossings induced by microlensing in the lens system Q~2237+0305 to study the lens galaxy peculiar velocity. We calculate the caustic crossing rates for a comprehensive family of stellar mass functions and find a dependence of the average number of caustic crossings with the effective transverse velocity and the average mass, $\langle n \rangle \propto {v_{eff} / \sqrt{\langle m \rangle}}$, equivalent to the theoretical prediction for the case of microlenses with identical masses. We explore the possibilities of the method to measure $v_{eff}$ using the $\sim$12 years of OGLE monitoring of the four images of Q 2237+0305. To determine a lower limit for $v_{ef…
Probing the Broad Line Region and the Accretion Disk in the Lensed Quasars HE0435-1223, WFI2033-4723, and HE2149-2745 using Gravitational Microlensing
2017
We use single-epoch spectroscopy of three gravitationally lensed quasars, HE0435-1223, WFI2033-4723, and HE2149-2745, to study their inner structure (BLR and continuum source). We detect microlensing-induced magnification in the wings of the broad emission lines of two of the systems (HE0435-1223 and WFI2033-4723). In the case of WFI2033-4723, microlensing affects two "bumps" in the spectra which are almost symmetrically arranged on the blue (coincident with an AlIII emission line) and red wings of CIII]. These match the typical double-peaked profile that follows from disk kinematics. The presence of microlensing in the wings of the emission lines indicates the existence of two different re…
NEW DEVELOPMENTS ON INVERSE POLYGON MAPPING TO CALCULATE GRAVITATIONAL LENSING MAGNIFICATION MAPS: OPTIMIZED COMPUTATIONS
2011
We derive an exact solution (in the form of a series expansion) to compute gravitational lensing magnification maps. It is based on the backward gravitational lens mapping of a partition of the image plane in polygonal cells (inverse polygon mapping, IPM), not including critical points (except perhaps at the cell boundaries). The zeroth-order term of the series expansion leads to the method described by Mediavilla et al. The first-order term is used to study the error induced by the truncation of the series at zeroth order, explaining the high accuracy of the IPM even at this low order of approximation. Interpreting the Inverse Ray Shooting (IRS) method in terms of IPM, we explain the previ…
PECULIAR TRANSVERSE VELOCITIES OF GALAXIES FROM QUASAR MICROLENSING. TENTATIVE ESTIMATE OF THE PECULIAR VELOCITY DISPERSION ATZ∼ 0.5
2016
We propose to use the flux variability of lensed quasar images induced by gravitational microlensing to measure the transverse peculiar velocity of lens galaxies over a wide range of redshift. Microlensing variability is caused by the motions of the observer, the lens galaxy (including the motion of the stars within the galaxy), and the source; hence, its frequency is directly related to the galaxy's transverse peculiar velocity. The idea is to count time-event rates (e.g., peak or caustic crossing rates) in the observed microlensing light curves of lensed quasars that can be compared with model predictions for different values of the transverse peculiar velocity. To compensate for the larg…
Recurrence of the blue wing enhancements in the high ionization lines of SDSS 1004+4112 A
2006
We present integral field spectroscopic observations of the quadruple-lensed QSO SDSS 1004+4112 taken with the fiber system INTEGRAL at the William Herschel Telescope on 2004 January 19. In 2003 May, a blueward enhancement in the high-ionization lines of SDSS 1004+4112A was detected, and then it faded. Our observations are the first to note a second event of similar characteristics less than 1 year after. Although initially attributed to microlensing, the resemblance among the spectra of both events and the absence of microlensing-induced changes in the continuum of component A are puzzling. The lack of a convincing explanation under the microlensing or intrinsic variability hypotheses make…
The First Precise Determination of an Optical–Far‐Ultraviolet Extinction Curve Beyond the Local Group ( \documentclass{aastex} \usepackage{amsbsy} \u…
2005
We present the optical-far-ultraviolet extinction curve of the dust in the lens galaxy of the gravitational lens system SBS 0909+532 (z = 0.83). Extending our previous optical-UV estimate (from λ ~ 2 to 5 μm-1) into the far ultraviolet (from λ ~ 5 to 8 μm-1) is crucial for comparing with the extinction curves measured for Local Group galaxies in the spectral region where the differences are greatest. The SBS 0909+532 curve is similar to that of the LMC2 supershell, with a weaker 2175 A feature and a steeper rise into the UV than that observed in the Milky Way. The shapes of the extinction curve inferred from the quasar continuum and emission lines are in very good agreement. There is, howev…
Systematic Redshift of the Fe III UV Lines in Quasars. Measuring Supermassive Black Hole Masses under the Gravitational Redshift Hypothesis
2018
We find that the Fe III$\lambda\lambda$2039-2113 spectral feature in quasars appears systematically redshifted by amounts accountable under the hypothesis of gravitational redshift induced by the central supermassive black hole. Our analysis of 27 composite spectra from the BOSS survey indicates that the redshift and the broadening of the lines in the Fe III$\lambda\lambda$2039-2113 blend roughly follow the expected correlation in the weak limit of Schwarzschild geometry for virialized kinematics. Assuming that the Fe III UV redshift provides a measure of $M_{BH}\over R$ (${\Delta \lambda\over \lambda}\simeq{3\over2}{G\over c^2} {M_{BH}\over R}$) and using different estimates of the emittin…
RXJ 0921+4529: a binary quasar or gravitational lens?
2010
We report the new spectroscopic observations of the gravitational lens RXJ 021+4529 with the multi-mode focal reducer SCORPIO of the SAO RAS 6-m telescope. The new spectral observations were compared with the previously observed spectra of components A and B of RXJ 0921+4529, i.e. the same components observed in different epochs. We found a significant difference in the spectrum between the components that cannot be explained with microlensing and/or spectral variation. We conclude that RXJ 0921+4529 is a binary quasar system, where redshifts of quasars A and B are 1.6535 +/- 0.0005 and 1.6625 +/- 0.0015, respectively.
Microlensing of a Biconical Broad‐Line Region
2006
The influence of microlensing in the profiles of the emission lines generated in a biconical geometry is discussed. Microlensing amplification in this anisotropic model is not directly related to the bicone's intrinsic size but depends on the orientation of the bicone axis and on the cone aperture. The orientation of the projected bicone with respect to the shear of the magnification pattern can induce very interesting effects, like the quasi-periodic enhancements of the red/blue part of the emission line profile or the lack of correlation between the broad line region (BLR) and continuum light curves of QSOs. The emission line profiles of a BLR moving in a high caustic concentration exhibi…
Detection of chromatic microlensing in Q 2237+0305 A
2008
We present narrowband images of the gravitational lens system Q~2237+0305 made with the Nordic Optical Telescope in eight different filters covering the wavelength interval 3510-8130 \AA. Using point-spread function photometry fitting we have derived the difference in magnitude versus wavelength between the four images of Q~2237+0305. At $\lambda=4110$ \AA, the wavelength range covered by the Str\"omgren-v filter coincides with the position and width of the CIV emission line. This allows us to determine the existence of microlensing in the continuum and not in the emission lines for two images of the quasar. Moreover, the brightness of image A shows a significant variation with wavelength w…
A brown dwarf orbiting an M-dwarf:MOA 2009-BLG-411L
2012
Context. Caustic crossing is the clearest signature of binary lenses in microlensing. In the present context, this signature is diluted by the large source star but a detailed analysis has allowed the companion signal to be extracted.Aims. MOA 2009-BLG-411 was detected on August 5, 2009 by the MOA-Collaboration. Alerted as a high-magnification event, it was sensitive to planets. Suspected anomalies in the light curve were not confirmed by a real-time model, but further analysis revealed small deviations from a single lens extended source fit.Methods. Thanks to observations by all the collaborations, this event was well monitored. We first decided to characterize the source star properties b…
Integral field spectroscopy of the gravitational lens HE1104-1805
2004
We present integral field spectroscopy of the double imaged quasar HE1104-1805 taken with the optical fiber system INTEGRAL-WYFFOS at theWHT telescope. From the spectra of the two components we have measured the continuum and line emission ratios, finding an offset between them that can be related to microlensing. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A Fast and Very Accurate Approach to the Computation of Microlensing Magnification Patterns Based on Inverse Polygon Mapping
2006
A new method of calculating microlensing magnification patterns is proposed that is based on the properties of the backward gravitational lens mapping of a lattice of polygonal cells defined at the image plane. To a first-order approximation, the local linearity of the transformation allows us to compute the contribution of each image-plane cell to the magnification by apportioning the area of the inverse image of the cell (transformed cell) among the source-plane pixels covered by it. Numerical studies in the κ = 0.1-0.8 range of mass surface densities demonstrate that this method (provided with an exact algorithm for distributing the area of the transformed cells among the source-plane pi…
A Study of Gravitational Lens Chromaticity with the Hubble Space Telescope
2011
We report Hubble Space Telescope observations of 6 gravitational lenses with the Advanced Camera for Surveys. We measured the flux ratios between the lensed images in 6 filters from 8140\AA\ to 2200\AA. In 3 of the systems, HE0512$-$3329, B1600+434, and H1413+117, we were able to construct UV extinction curves partially overlapping the 2175\AA\ feature and characterize the properties of the dust relative to the Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds. In HE1104$-$1804 we detect chromatic microlensing and use it to study the physical properties of the quasar accretion disk. For a Gaussian model of the disk $\exp(-r^2/2 r_s^2)$, scaling with wavelength as $r_s \propto \lambda^p$, we estimate $r_s(\l…
LONG-TERM MONITORING, TIME DELAY, AND MICROLENSING IN THE GRAVITATIONAL LENS SYSTEM Q0142-100
2013
We present twelve years of monitoring of the gravitational lens Q0142-100 from the Teide Observatory. The data, taken from 1999 to 2010, comprise 105 observing nights with the IAC80 telescope. The application of the delta2-method to the dataset leads to a value of the time delay between both components of the system of 72+/-22 days (68 per cent confidence level), consistent within the uncertainties with the latest previous results. With this value in mind a possible microlensing event is detected in Q0142-100.
Individual Estimates of the Virial Factor in 10 Quasars: Implications on the Kinematics of the Broad Line Region
2020
Assuming a gravitational origin for the Fe III$\lambda\lambda$2039-2113 redshift and using microlensing based estimates of the size of the region emitting this feature, we obtain individual measurements of the virial factor, $f$, in 10 quasars. The average values for the Balmer lines, $\langle f_{H\beta}\rangle={\bf 0.43\pm 0.20}$ and $\langle f_{H\alpha}\rangle={\bf 0.50\pm 0.24}$, are in good agreement with the results of previous studies for objects with lines of comparable widths. In the case of Mg II, consistent results, $f_{Mg II} \sim {\bf 0.44}$, can be also obtained accepting a reasonable scaling for the size of the emitting region. The modeling of the cumulative histograms of indi…
Microlensing and Intrinsic Variability of the Broad Emission Lines of Lensed Quasars
2018
We study the broad emission lines in a sample of 11 gravitationally lensed quasars with at least two epochs of observation to identify intrinsic variability and to disentangle it from microlensing. To improve our statistical significance and emphasize trends, we also include 15 lens systems with single-epoch spectra. Mg ii and C iii] emission lines are only weakly affected by microlensing, but C iv shows strong microlensing in some cases, even for regions of the line core, presumably associated with small projected velocities. However, excluding the strongly microlensed cases, there is a strikingly good match, on average, between the red wings of the C iv and C iii] profiles. Analysis of th…
Revealing the structure of the lensed quasar Q 0957+561. I. Accretion disk size
2021
We thank the anonymous referee for the helpful comments, and constructive remarks on this manuscript. We thank the GLENDAMA project for making publicly available the monitoring data of Q 0957+561. C.F. gratefully acknowledges the financial support from Tel Aviv University and University of Haifa through a DFG grant HA3555-14/1. E.M. and J.A.M are supported by the Spanish MINECO with the grants AYA2016- 79104-C3-1-P and AYA2016-79104-C3-3-P. J.A.M. is also supported from the Generalitat Valenciana project of excellence Prometeo/2020/085. J.J.V. is supported by the project AYA2017-84897-P financed by the Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competividad and by the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regi…
Measuring Microlensing using Spectra of Multiply Lensed Quasars
2012
We report on a program of spectroscopic observations of gravitationally-lensed QSOs with multiple images. We seek to establish whether microlensing is occurring in each QSO image using only single-epoch observations. We calculate flux ratios for the cores of emission lines in image pairs to set a baseline for no microlensing. The offset of the continuum flux ratios relative to this baseline yields the microlensing magnification free from extinction, as extinction affects the continuum and the lines equally. When we find chromatic microlensing, we attempt to constrain the size of the QSO accretion disk. SDSSJ1004+4112 and HE1104-1805 show chromatic microlensing with amplitudes $0.2< |\Delta …
A Mass Model for the Lensing Cluster SDSS J1004+4112: Constraints From the Third Time Delay
2022
We have built a new model for the lens system SDSS J1004+4112 including the recently measured time delay of the fourth quasar image. This time delay has a strong influence on the inner mass distribution of the lensing cluster ($\rho \propto r^{-\alpha}$) allowing us to determine $\alpha=1.18^{+0.02(+0.11)}_{-0.03(-0.18)}$ at the 68% (95%) confidence level in agreement with hydrodynamical simulations of massive galaxy clusters. We find an offset between the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) and the dark matter halo of $3.8^{+0.6(+1.4)}_{-0.7(-1.3)}$ kpc at 68% (95%) confidence which is compatible with other galaxy cluster measurements. As an observational challenge, the estimated time delay bet…
Studying the microlenses mass function from statistical analysis of the caustic concentration
2011
The statistical distribution of caustic crossings by the images of a lensed quasar depends on the properties of the distribution of microlenses in the lens galaxy. We use a procedure based in Inverse Polygon Mapping to easily identify the critical and caustic curves generated by a distribution of stars in the lens galaxy. We analyze the statistical distributions of the number of caustic crossings by a pixel size source for several projected mass densities and different mass distributions. We compare the results of simulations with theoretical binomial distributions. Finally we apply this method to the study of the stellar mass distribution in the lens galaxy of QSO 2237+0305.
Characterizing Lenses and Lensed Stars of High-magnification Single-lens Gravitational Microlensing Events with Lenses Passing over Source Stars
2012
We present the analysis of the light curves of 9 high-magnification single-lens gravitational microlensing events with lenses passing over source stars, including OGLE-2004-BLG-254, MOA-2007-BLG-176, MOA-2007-BLG-233/OGLE-2007-BLG-302, MOA-2009-BLG-174, MOA-2010-BLG-436, MOA-2011-BLG-093, MOA-2011-BLG-274, OGLE-2011-BLG-0990/MOA-2011-BLG-300, and OGLE-2011-BLG-1101/MOA-2011-BLG-325. For all events, we measure the linear limb-darkening coefficients of the surface brightness profile of source stars by measuring the deviation of the light curves near the peak affected by the finite-source effect. For 7 events, we measure the Einstein radii and the lens-source relative proper motions. Among the…
Microlensing of Quasar Broad Emission Lines: Constraints on Broad Line Region Size
2012
We measure the differential microlensing of the broad emission lines between 18 quasar image pairs in 16 gravitational lenses. We find that high ionization lines such as CIV are more strongly microlensed than low ionization lines, indicating that the high ionization line emission regions are more compact. If we statistically model the distribution of microlensing magnifications, we obtain estimates for the broad line region radius of 24 (-15/+22) and 55 (-35/+150) light-days (90% confidence) for the high and low ionization lines, respectively. When the sample is divided attending to quasar luminosity, we find that the line emission regions of more luminous quasars are larger, with a slope c…
Strong Chromatic Microlensing in HE0047-1756 and SDSS1155+6346
2014
We use spectra of the double lensed quasars HE0047-1756 and SDSS1155+6346 to study their unresolved structure through the impact of microlensing. There is no significant evidence of microlensing in the emission line profiles except for the Ly$\alpha$ line of SDSS1155+6346, which shows strong differences in the shapes for images A and B. However, the continuum of the B image spectrum in SDSS1155+6346 is strongly contaminated by the lens galaxy and these differences should be considered with caution. Using the flux ratios of the emission lines for image pairs as a baseline to remove macro-magnification and extinction, we have detected strong chromatic microlensing in the continuum measured by…
Microlensing Discovery of a Population of Very Tight, Very Low Mass Binary Brown Dwarfs
2013
Although many models have been proposed, the physical mechanisms responsible for the formation of low-mass brown dwarfs (BDs) are poorly understood. The multiplicity properties and minimum mass of the BD mass function provide critical empirical diagnostics of these mechanisms. We present the discovery via gravitational microlensing of two very low mass, very tight binary systems. These binaries have directly and precisely measured total system masses of 0.025 M [SUB]⊙[/SUB] and 0.034 M [SUB]⊙[/SUB], and projected separations of 0.31 AU and 0.19 AU, making them the lowest-mass and tightest field BD binaries known. The discovery of a population of such binaries indicates that BD binaries can …