19,051 research outputs found
Constraints on the Inner Cluster Mass Profile and the Power Spectrum Normalization from Strong Lensing Statistics
Strong gravitational lensing is a useful probe of both the intrinsic
properties of the lenses and the cosmological parameters of the universe. The
large number of model parameters and small sample of observed lens systems,
however, have made it difficult to obtain useful constraints on more than a few
parameters from lensing statistics. Here we examine how the recent WMAP
measurements help improve the constraining power of statistics from the radio
lensing survey JVAS/CLASS. We find that the absence of theta>3'' lenses in
CLASS places an upper bound of beta<1.25 (1.60) at 68% (95%) CL on the inner
density profile, rho \propto r^{-beta}, of cluster-sized halos. Furthermore,
the favored power spectrum normalization is sigma_8 >= 0.7 (95% CL). We discuss
two possibilities for stronger future constraints: a positive detection of at
least one large-separation system, and next-generation radio surveys such as
LOFAR.Comment: Scatter in concentration included; virial mass used consistently; new
Fig 3. Final version published in ApJ
Lensed Arcs and Inner Structure of Abell 697
We present new optical observations of the z=0.282 cluster Abell 697 from the
Keck II telescope. Images show an unusual disturbed structure in the cD halo
and a previously unknown faint gravitational lens arc. A spectrum of the arc
did not yield a redshift, but its spectrum and colors suggest it lies at z>1.3.
We construct models to reproduce the arc that show the potential is likely to
be highly elliptical. We suggest that this cluster may have undergone a recent
merger and is in the process of forming its cD galaxy. Analysis of X-ray data
from ROSAT and ASCA suggests that the merging process is sufficiently advanced
that the gas in the cluster has relaxed, and A697 lies near the L_x-T_x
relation for normal clusters.Comment: LaTeX; 12 pages, 3 figures, submitted to ApJ Letter
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