477 research outputs found
Comparison of an X-ray selected sample of massive lensing clusters with the MareNostrum Universe LCDM simulation
A long-standing problem of strong lensing by galaxy clusters regards the
observed high rate of giant gravitational arcs as compared to the predictions
in the framework of the "standard" cosmological model. Recently, few other
inconsistencies between theoretical expectations and observations have been
claimed which regard the large size of the Einstein rings and the high
concentrations of few clusters with strong lensing features. All of these
problems consistently indicate that observed galaxy clusters may be
gravitational lenses stronger than expected. We use clusters extracted from the
MareNostrum Universe to build up mock catalogs of galaxy clusters selected
through their X-ray flux. We use these objects to estimate the probability
distributions of lensing cross sections, Einstein rings, and concentrations for
the sample of 12 MACS clusters at presented in Ebeling et al. (2007)
and discussed in Zitrin et al. (2010). We find that simulated clusters produce
less arcs than observed clusters do. The medians of the
distributions of the Einstein ring sizes differ by between
simulations and observations. We estimate that, due to cluster triaxiality and
orientation biases affecting the lenses with the largest cross sections, the
concentrations of the individual MACS clusters inferred from the lensing
analysis should be up to a factor of larger than expected from the
CDM model. The arc statistics, the Einstein ring, and the
concentration problems in strong lensing clusters are mitigated but not solved
on the basis of our analysis. Nevertheless, due to the lack of redshifts for
most of the multiple image systems used for modeling the MACS clusters, the
results of this work will need to be verified with additional data. The
upcoming CLASH program will provide an ideal sample for extending our
comparison (abridged).Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication on A&
Hubble Frontier Field Free-Form Mass Mapping of the Massive Multiple-Merging Cluster MACSJ0717.5+3745
We examine the latest data on the cluster MACSJ0717.5+3745 from the Hubble
Frontier Fields campaign. The critically lensed area is the largest known of
any lens and very irregular making it a challenge for parametric modelling.
Using our Free-Form method we obtain an accurate solution, identify here many
new sets of multiple images, doubling the number of constraints and improving
the reconstruction of the dark matter distribution. Our reconstructed mass map
shows several distinct central substructures with shallow density profiles,
clarifying earlier work and defining well the relation between the dark matter
distribution and the luminous and X-ray peaks within the critically lensed
region. Using our free-form method, we are able to meaningfully subtract the
mass contribution from cluster members to the deflection field to trace the
smoothly distributed cluster dark matter distribution. We find 4 distinct
concentrations, 3 of which are coincident with the luminous matter. The fourth
peak has a significant offset from both the closest luminous and X-ray peaks.
These findings, together with dynamical data from the motions of galaxies and
gas will be important for uncovering the potentially important implications of
this extremely massive and intriguing system.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, 2 tables. Matches the verson submitted to
mnras. New table (A2) included with additional system candidate
Multiple Images of a Highly Magnified Supernova Formed by an Early-Type Cluster Galaxy Lens
In 1964, Refsdal hypothesized that a supernova whose light traversed multiple paths around a strong gravitational lens could be used to measure the rate of cosmic expansion. We report the discovery of such a system. In Hubble Space Telescope imaging, we have found four images of a single supernova forming an Einstein cross configuration around a redshift z = 0.54 elliptical galaxy in the MACS J1149.6+2223 cluster. The cluster’s gravitational potential also creates multiple images of the z = 1.49 spiral supernova host galaxy, and a future appearance of the supernova elsewhere in the cluster field is expected. The magnifications and staggered arrivals of the supernova images probe the cosmic expansion rate, as well as the distribution of matter in the galaxy and cluster lenses
Free-form lens model and mass estimation of the high redshift galaxy cluster ACT-CL J0102-4915, "El Gordo"
We examine the massive colliding cluster El Gordo, one of the most massive
clusters at high redshift. We use a free-form lensing reconstruction method
that avoids making assumptions about the mass distribution. We use data from
the RELICS program and identify new multiply lensed system candidates. The new
set of constraints and free-form method provides a new independent mass
estimate of this intriguing colliding cluster. Our results are found to be
consistent with earlier parametric models, indirectly confirming the
assumptions made in earlier work. By fitting a double gNFW profile to the lens
model, and extrapolating to the virial radius, we infer a total mass for the
cluster of M. We
estimate the uncertainty in the mass due to errors in the photometric
redshifts, and discuss the uncertainty in the inferred virial mass due to the
extrapolation from the lens model. We also find in our lens map a mass
overdensity corresponding to the large cometary tail of hot gas, reinforcing
its interpretation as a large tidal feature predicted by hydrodynamical
simulations that mimic El Gordo. Finally, we discuss the observed relation
between the plasma and the mass map, finding that the peak in the projected
mass map may be associated with a large concentration of colder gas, exhibiting
possible star formation. El Gordo is one of the first clusters that will be
observed with JWST, which is expected to unveil new high redshift lensed
galaxies around this interesting cluster, and provide a more accurate
estimation of its mass.Comment: 19 pages, 10 figures. Updated figure
CLASH: Extending Galaxy Strong Lensing to Small Physical Scales with Distant Sources Highly Magnified by Galaxy Cluster Members
We present a complex strong lensing system in which a double source is imaged five times by two early-type galaxies. We take advantage in this target of the extraordinary multi-band photometric data set obtained as part of the Cluster Lensing And Supernova survey with Hubble (CLASH) program, complemented by the spectroscopic measurements of the VLT/VIMOS and FORS2 follow-up campaign. We use a photometric redshift value of 3.7 for the source and confirm spectroscopically the membership of the two lenses to the galaxy cluster MACS J1206.2–0847 at redshift 0.44. We exploit the excellent angular resolution of the HST/ACS images to model the two lenses in terms of singular isothermal sphere profiles and derive robust effective velocity dispersion values of 97 ± 3 and 240 ± 6 km s^(–1). Interestingly, the total mass distribution of the cluster is also well characterized by using only the local information contained in this lensing system, which is located at a projected distance of more than 300 kpc from the cluster luminosity center. According to our best-fitting lensing and composite stellar population models, the source is magnified by a total factor of 50 and has a luminous mass of approximately (1.0 ± 0.5) × 10^9 M☉ (assuming a Salpeter stellar initial mass function). By combining the total and luminous mass estimates of the two lenses, we measure luminous over total mass fractions projected within the effective radii of 0.51 ± 0.21 and 0.80 ± 0.32. Remarkably, with these lenses we can extend the analysis of the mass properties of lens early-type galaxies by factors that are approximately two and three times smaller than previously done with regard to, respectively, velocity dispersion and luminous mass. The comparison of the total and luminous quantities of our lenses with those of astrophysical objects with different physical scales, like massive early-type galaxies and dwarf spheroidals, reveals the potential of studies of this kind for improving our knowledge about the internal structure of galaxies. These studies, made possible thanks to the CLASH survey, will allow us to go beyond the current limits posed by the available lens samples in the field
CLASH-VLT: Insights on the Mass Substructures in the Frontier Fields Cluster MACS J0416.1–2403 through Accurate Strong Lens Modeling
We present a detailed mass reconstruction and a novel study on the substructure properties in the core of the Cluster Lensing And Supernova survey with Hubble (CLASH) and Frontier Fields galaxy cluster MACS J0416.1–2403. We show and employ our extensive spectroscopic data set taken with the VIsible Multi-Object Spectrograph instrument as part of our CLASH-VLT program, to confirm spectroscopically 10 strong lensing systems and to select a sample of 175 plausible cluster members to a limiting stellar mass of log (M_*/M_☉) ≃ 8.6. We reproduce the measured positions of a set of 30 multiple images with a remarkable median offset of only 0."3 by means of a comprehensive strong lensing model comprised of two cluster dark-matter halos, represented by cored elliptical pseudo-isothermal mass distributions, and the cluster member components, parameterized with dual pseudo-isothermal total mass profiles. The latter have total mass-to-light ratios increasing with the galaxy HST/WFC3 near-IR (F160W) luminosities. The measurement of the total enclosed mass within the Einstein radius is accurate to ~5%, including the systematic uncertainties estimated from six distinct mass models. We emphasize that the use of multiple-image systems with spectroscopic redshifts and knowledge of cluster membership based on extensive spectroscopic information is key to constructing robust high-resolution mass maps. We also produce magnification maps over the central area that is covered with HST observations. We investigate the galaxy contribution, both in terms of total and stellar mass, to the total mass budget of the cluster. When compared with the outcomes of cosmological N-body simulations, our results point to a lack of massive subhalos in the inner regions of simulated clusters with total masses similar to that of MACS J0416.1–2403. Our findings of the location and shape of the cluster dark-matter halo density profiles and on the cluster substructures provide intriguing tests of the assumed collisionless, cold nature of dark matter and of the role played by baryons in the process of structure formation
A Free-Form Prediction for the Reappearance of Supernova Refsdal in the Hubble Frontier Fields Cluster MACSJ1149.5+2223
The massive cluster MACSJ1149.5+2223(z=0.544) displays five very large lensed
images of a well resolved spiral galaxy at . It is within
one of these images that the first example of a multiply-lensed supernova has
been detected recently as part of the Grism Lens-Amplified Survey from Space.
The depth of this data also reveals many HII regions within the lensed spiral
galaxy which we identify between the five counter-images. Here we expand the
capability of our free-form method to incorporate these HII regions locally,
with other reliable lensed galaxies added for a global solution. This improved
accuracy allows us to estimate when the Refsdal supernova will appear within
the other lensed images of the spiral galaxy to an accuracy of 7\%. We
predict this supernova will reappear in one of the counter-images
(RA=11:49:36.025, DEC=+22:23:48.11, J2000) and on November 1 2015 (with
an estimated error of 25 days) it will be at the same phase as it was
when it was originally discovered, offering a unique opportunity to study the
early phases of this supernova and to examine the consistency of the mass model
and the cosmological model that have an impact on the time delay prediction.Comment: 12 images, 11 pages. Mateches accepted version in MNRAS. MNRAS in
pres
A lensed protocluster candidate at identified in JWST observations of the galaxy cluster SMACS0723-7327
According to the current paradigm of galaxy formation, the first galaxies
have been likely formed within large dark matter haloes. The fragmentation of
these massive haloes led to the formation of galaxy protoclusters, which are
usually composed of one to a few bright objects, surrounded by numerous fainter
(and less massive) galaxies. These early structures could have played a major
role in reionising the neutral hydrogen within the first billion years of the
Universe; especially, if their number density is significant.Taking advantage
of the unprecedented sensitivity reached by the \textit{James Webb Space
Telescope (JWST)}, galaxy protoclusters can now be identified and studied in
increasing numbers beyond 6. Characterising their contribution to the
UV photon budget could supply new insights into the reionisation process. We
analyse the first JWST dataset behind SMACS0723-7327 to search for
protoclusters at , combining the available spectroscopic and
photometric data. We then compare our findings with semi-analytical models and
simulations. In addition to two bright galaxies (26.5 AB in F277W),
separated by 11\arcsec and spectroscopically confirmed at
, we identify 6 additional galaxies with similar colors in a
\arcsec radius around these (corresponding to R kpc in
the source plane). Using several methods, we estimate the mass of the dark
matter halo of this protocluster, 3.310M
accounting for magnification, consistent with various predictions. The physical
properties of all protocluster members are also in excellent agreement with
what has been previously found at lower redshifts: star-formation main sequence
and protocluster size. This detection adds to just a few protoclusters
currently known in the first billion years of the universe.Comment: 7 pages, 6 Figures. Accepted for publication in A&A Lette
The Cluster Lensing and Supernova Survey with Hubble (CLASH): Strong Lensing Analysis of Abell 383 from 16-Band HST WFC3/ACS Imaging
We examine the inner mass distribution of the relaxed galaxy cluster Abell
383 in deep 16-band HST/ACS+WFC3 imaging taken as part of the CLASH multi-cycle
treasury program. Our program is designed to study the dark matter distribution
in 25 massive clusters, and balances depth with a wide wavelength coverage to
better identify lensed systems and generate precise photometric redshifts. This
information together with the predictive strength of our strong-lensing
analysis method identifies 13 new multiply-lensed images and candidates, so
that a total of 27 multiple-images of 9 systems are used to tightly constrain
the inner mass profile, (r<160 kpc).
We find consistency with the standard distance-redshift relation for the full
range spanned by the lensed images, 1.01<z<6.03, with the higher redshift
sources deflected through larger angles as expected. The inner mass profile
derived here is consistent with the results of our independent weak-lensing
analysis of wide-field Subaru images, with good agreement in the region of
overlap. The overall mass profile is well fitted by an NFW profile with
M_{vir}=(5.37^{+0.70}_{-0.63}\pm 0.26) x 10^{14}M_{\odot}/h and a relatively
high concentration, c_{vir}=8.77^{+0.44}_{-0.42}\pm 0.23, which lies above the
standard c-M relation similar to other well-studied clusters. The critical
radius of Abell 383 is modest by the standards of other lensing clusters,
r_{E}\simeq16\pm2\arcsec (for z_s=2.55), so the relatively large number of
lensed images uncovered here with precise photometric redshifts validates our
imaging strategy for the CLASH survey. In total we aim to provide similarly
high-quality lensing data for 25 clusters, 20 of which are X-ray selected
relaxed clusters, enabling a precise determination of the representative mass
profile free from lensing bias. (ABRIDGED)Comment: 15 pages, 14 figures, 2 tabels; V3 matches the submitted version
later published in Ap
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