We investigate the feasibility of reconstructing the radial intensity profile
of extended stellar sources by inverting their microlensed light curves. Using
a simple, linear, limb darkening law as an illustration, we show that the
intensity profile can be accurately determined, at least over the outer part of
the stellar disc, with realistic light curve sampling and photometric errors.
The principal requirement is that the impact parameter of the lens be less than
or equal to the stellar radius. Thus, the analysis of microlensing events
provides a powerful method for testing stellar atmosphere models.Comment: 4 pages LaTeX, to appear in New Astronomy Reviews - proceedings of
the Oxford Workshop `Gravitational Lensing: Nature's Own Weighing Scales'.
Uses elsart.cls. Paper also available at
ftp://info.astro.gla.ac.uk/pub/martin/extended.p
