Microlensing variability in time-delay quasars

We have searched for microlensing variability in the light curves of five gravitationally lensed quasars with well-determined time delays: SBS 1520+530, FBQ 0951+2635, RX J0911+0551, B1600+434 and HE 2149-2745. By comparing the light curve of the leading image with a suitably time offset light curve of a trailing image we find that two (SBS 1520+530 and FBQ 0951+2635) out of the five quasars have significant long-term (years) and short-term (100 days) brightness variations that may be attributed to microlensing.The short-term variations may be due to nanolenses, relativistic hot or cold spots in the quasar accretion disks, or coherent microlensing at large optical depth.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, uses natbib.sty and aa.cl

Photometric monitoring of the doubly imaged quasar UM673: possible evidence for chromatic microlensing

We present the results of two-band CCD photometric monitoring of the gravitationally lensed quasar Q 0142-100 (UM 673).The data, obtained at ESO-La Silla with the 1.54 m Danish telescope in the Gunn i-band (October 1998 - September 1999) and in the Johnson V-band (October 1998 to December 2001), were analyzed using three different photometric methods. The light-curves obtained with all methods show variations, with a peak-to-peak amplitude of 0.14 magnitude in $V$. Although it was not possible to measure the time delay between the two lensed QSO images, the brighter component displays possible evidence for microlensing: it becomes bluer as it gets brighter, as expected under the assumption of differential magnification of a quasar accretion diskComment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics; 8 pages, 7 figure

Three photometric methods tested on ground-based data of Q 2237+0305

The Einstein Cross, Q~2237+0305, has been photometrically observed in four bands on two successive nights at NOT (La Palma, Spain) in October 1995. Three independent algorithms have been used to analyse the data: an automatic image decomposition technique, a CLEAN algorithm and the new MCS deconvolution code. The photometric and astrometric results obtained with the three methods are presented. No photometric variations were found in the four quasar images. Comparison of the photometry from the three techniques shows that both systematic and random errors affect each method. When the seeing is worse than 1.0", the errors from the automatic image decomposition technique and the Clean algorithm tend to be large (0.04-0.1 magnitudes) while the deconvolution code still gives accurate results (1{sigma} error below 0.04) even for frames with seeing as bad as 1.7". Reddening is observed in the quasar images and is found to be compatible with either extinction from the lensing galaxy or colour dependent microlensing. The photometric accuracy depends on the light distribution used to model the lensing galaxy. In particular, using a numerical galaxy model, as done with the MCS algorithm, makes the method less seeing dependent. Another advantage of using a numerical model is that eventual non-homogeneous structures in the galaxy can be modeled. Finally, we propose an observational strategy for a future photometric monitoring of the Einstein Cross.Comment: 9 pages, accepted for publication in A&

A novel approach for extracting time-delays from lightcurves of lensed quasar images

We present a new method to estimate time delays from light curves of lensed quasars. The method is based on chi^2 minimization between the data and a numerical model light curve. A linear variation can be included in order to correct for slow long-term microlensing effects in one of the lensed images. An iterative version of the method can be applied in order to correct for higher order microlensing effects. The method is tested on simulated light curves. When higher order microlensing effects are present the time delay is best constrained with the iterative method. Analysis of a published data set for the lensed double Q0957+561 yields results in agreement with other published estimates.Comment: 6 pages, accepted for publication in A&

A method for spatial deconvolution of spectra

A method for spatial deconvolution of spectra is presented. It follows the same fundamental principles as the ``MCS image deconvolution algorithm'' (Magain, Courbin, Sohy, 1998) and uses information contained in the spectrum of a reference Point Spread Function (PSF) to spatially deconvolve spectra of very blended sources. An improved resolution rather than an infinite one is aimed at, overcoming the well known problem of ``deconvolution artefacts''. As in the MCS algorithm, the data are decomposed into a sum of analytical point sources and a numerically deconvolved background, so that the spectrum of extended sources in the immediate vicinity of bright point sources may be accurately extracted and sharpened. The algorithm has been tested on simulated data including seeing variation as a function of wavelength and atmospheric refraction. It is shown that the spectra of severely blended point sources can be resolved while fully preserving the spectrophotometric properties of the data. Extended objects ``hidden'' by bright point sources (up to 4-5 magnitudes brighter) can be accurately recovered as well, provided the data have a sufficiently high total signal-to-noise ratio (200-300 per spectral resolution element). Such spectra are relatively easy to obtain, even down to faint magnitudes, within a few hours of integration time with 10m class telescopes.Comment: 18 pages, 6 postscript figures, in press in Ap

Microlensing in the double quasar SBS1520+530

We present the results of a monitoring campaign of the double quasar SBS1520+530 at Maidanak observatory from April 2003 to August 2004. We obtained light curves in V and R filters that show small-amplitude \Delta m~0.1 mag intrinsic variations of the quasar on time scales of about 100 days. The data set is consistent with the previously determined time delay of \Delta t=(130+-3) days by Burud et al. (2002). We find that the time delay corrected magnitude difference between the quasar images is now larger by (0.14+-0.03) mag than during the observations by Burud et al. (2002). This confirms the presence of gravitational microlensing variations in this system.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in A&

COSMOGRAIL: the COSmological MOnitoring of GRAvItational Lenses V. The time delay in SDSS J1650+4251

Aims: Our aim is to measure the time delay between the two gravitationally lensed images of the z = 1.547 quasar SDSS J1650+4251, in order to estimate the Hubble constant H_0. Methods: Our measurement is based on R-band light curves with 57 epochs obtained at Maidanak Observatory, in Uzbekistan, from May 2004 to September 2005. The photometry is performed using simultaneous deconvolution of the data, which provides the individual light curves of the otherwise blended quasar images. The time delay is determined from the light curves using two very different numerical techniques, i.e., polynomial fitting and direct cross-correlation. The time delay is converted into H_0 following analytical modeling of the potential well. Results: Our best estimate of the time delay is Dt = 49.5 +/- 1.9 days, i.e., we reach a 3.8% accuracy. The R-band flux ratio between the quasar images, corrected for the time delay and for slow microlensing, is F_A /F_B = 6.2 +/- 5%. Conclusions: The accuracy reached on the time delay allows us to discriminate well between families of lens models. As for most other multiply imaged quasars, only models of the lensing galaxy that have a de Vaucouleurs mass profile plus external shear give a Hubble constant compatible with the current most popular value (H_0 = 72 +/- 8 km s-1 Mpc-1). A more realistic singular isothermal sphere model plus external shear gives H_0 = 51.7 +4.0 -3.0 km s-1 Mpc-1.Comment: 8 pages, 12 figures, accepted by A&

Three photometric methods tested on ground-based data of Q 2237+0305

The Einstein Cross, Q 2237+0305, has been photometrically observed in four bands on two successive nights at NOT (La Palma, Spain) in October 1995. Three independent algorithms have been used to analyse the data: an automatic image decomposition technique, a CLEAN algorithm and the new MCS deconvolution code. The photometric and astrometric results obtained with the three methods are presented. No photometric variations were found in the four quasar images. Comparison of the photometry from the three techniques shows that both systematic and random errors affect each method. When the seeing is worse than 1farcs0 , the errors from the automatic image decomposition technique and the Clean algorithm tend to be large (0.04-0.1 magnitudes) while the deconvolution code still gives accurate results (1sigma error below 0.04) even for frames with seeing as bad as 1farcs7 . Reddening is observed in the quasar images and is found to be compatible with either extinction from the lensing galaxy or colour dependent microlensing. The photometric accuracy depends on the light distribution used to model the lensing galaxy. In particular, using a numerical galaxy model, as done with the MCS algorithm, makes the method less seeing dependent. Another advantage of using a numerical model is that eventual non-homogeneous structures in the galaxy can be modeled. Finally, we propose an observational strategy for a future photometric monitoring of the Einstein Cross. Based on observations obtained at NOT, La Palma