GravItational Lensing of Quasars

GravItational Lensing of Quasars PDF Author: Alexander Eigenbrod
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1439873542
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 154

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Book Description
The universe, in all its richness, diversity and complexity, is populated by a myriad of intriguing celestial objects. Among the most exotic of them are gravitationally lensed quasars. A quasar is an extremely bright nucleus of a galaxy, and when such an object is gravitationally lensed, multiple images of the quasar are produced – this phenomenon of cosmic mirage can provide invaluable insights on burning questions, such as the nature of dark matter and dark energy. After presenting the basics of modern cosmology, GravItational Lensing of Quasars describes active galactic nuclei, the theory of gravitational lensing, and presents a particular numerical technique to improve the resolution of astronomical data. The book then enters the heart of the subject with the description of important applica- tions of gravitational lensing of quasars, such as the measurement of the famous Hubble constant, the determination of the dark matter distribution in galaxies, and the observation of the mysterious inner parts of quasars with much higher resolutions than those accessible with the largest telescopes. This book gives an overview of the current status of research in the field of gravitationally lensed quasars. It also gives some insights about the way this research is conducted in practice, and presents real data and results obtained with several high-technology instruments of the Very Large Telescope of the European Southern Observatory.

GravItational Lensing of Quasars

GravItational Lensing of Quasars PDF Author: Alexander Eigenbrod
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1439873542
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 154

Get Book Here

Book Description
The universe, in all its richness, diversity and complexity, is populated by a myriad of intriguing celestial objects. Among the most exotic of them are gravitationally lensed quasars. A quasar is an extremely bright nucleus of a galaxy, and when such an object is gravitationally lensed, multiple images of the quasar are produced – this phenomenon of cosmic mirage can provide invaluable insights on burning questions, such as the nature of dark matter and dark energy. After presenting the basics of modern cosmology, GravItational Lensing of Quasars describes active galactic nuclei, the theory of gravitational lensing, and presents a particular numerical technique to improve the resolution of astronomical data. The book then enters the heart of the subject with the description of important applica- tions of gravitational lensing of quasars, such as the measurement of the famous Hubble constant, the determination of the dark matter distribution in galaxies, and the observation of the mysterious inner parts of quasars with much higher resolutions than those accessible with the largest telescopes. This book gives an overview of the current status of research in the field of gravitationally lensed quasars. It also gives some insights about the way this research is conducted in practice, and presents real data and results obtained with several high-technology instruments of the Very Large Telescope of the European Southern Observatory.

Gravitational Lensing of Quasars by Edge-on Spiral Galaxies

Gravitational Lensing of Quasars by Edge-on Spiral Galaxies PDF Author: Emily P. Wang
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 68

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Book Description
In this thesis, I studied the lensed quasar CX2201-3201, which is lensed by an edge-on spiral galaxy. The unusually high tilt of the spiral galaxy provides us with a rare opportunity for mass modeling. In addition, the unusual placement of the two visible images of the system offers an intriguing lensing system for study-the two images straddle the lensing galaxy's visible disk, but are off to one side of the light centroid. Based on mass models for the lens that are constrained by the visible disk of the galaxy, the quadrupole of the disk is strong enough to make CX2201 a "naked cusp" system, which should have three images-the two images we see, plus another located in the disk of the galaxy. We attempt to explain the absence of the third "naked cusp" image by using a series of increasingly exotic mass models. Unfortunately, none of these models turn out to be both satisfactory and a feasible solution. Although we are unable to answer the question of why the two images of CX2201 are located off to the side of the lensing galaxy's center, we gain a better understanding of the challenges this system poses for those attempting to model the lensing galaxy's mass. HST data has been obtained for the system, and although this data were obtained too late for proper inclusion in this thesis, they may aid future investigators in analyzing CX2201. Plans to obtain detailed rotation curves for the lensing galaxy are also underway, and it is the hope that future investigators will come to a better understanding of CX2201's unique features.

Quasars and Black Holes

Quasars and Black Holes PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780716695899
Category : Black holes (Astronomy)
Languages : en
Pages : 64

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Book Description
"An introduction to quasars and black holes with information about their formation and characteristics. Includes diagrams, fun facts, a glossary, a resource list, and an index"--Provided by publisher.

The Post-Recombination Universe

The Post-Recombination Universe PDF Author: N. Kaiser
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9400930356
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 361

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Book Description
This volume consists of invited talks and contributed papers presented at the NATO Advanced Study Institute "The Post Recombination Universe" which was held in Cambridge in the summer of 1987. There have, in recent years, been numerous meetings devoted to problems in observational cosmology. The attention given reflects the exciting rate of de velopment of the subject, and a survey of the proceedings from these symposia reveals that a great deal of emphasis has been given to consideration of the very early universe on the one hand, and to large scale structure in the universe at the present epoch on the other. The theme of this meeting was chosen to comple ment these efforts by focussing on the state of the universe at quite early times, but at those epochs which are still accessible to direct observations. The meet ing provided a broad coverage of the post recombination universe by drawing on experts from a wide variety of fields covering theory, background radiation fields and discrete sources at high redshift. Events in the moderately early universe will have left their mark in a great range of wavebands, from X-rays to the microwave region, and the evolution of the universe can be revealed by studies of the inter galactic medium, gravitational lensing and the abundance and clustering of high redshift sources. All of these subjects received much attention at the meeting, and the papers demonstrate the rich interplay between these areas in the rapidly expanding world of observational cosmology.

Gravitational Lenses

Gravitational Lenses PDF Author: P. Schneider
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3662037580
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 564

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Book Description
Light observed from distant objects is found to be deflected by the gravitational field of massive objects near the line of sight - an effect predicted by Einstein in his first paper setting forth the general theory of relativity, and confirmed by Eddington soon afterwards. If the source of the light is sufficiently distant and bright, and if the intervening object is massive enough and near enough to the line of sight, the gravitational field acts like a lens, focusing the light and producing one or more bright images of the source. This book, by renowned researchers in the field, begins by discussing the basic physics behind gravitational lenses: the optics of curved space-time. It then derives the appropriate equations for predicting the properties of these lenses. In addition, it presents up-to-date observational evidence for gravitational lenses and describes the particular properties of the observed cases. The authors also discuss applications of the results to problems in cosmology.

Gravitational Lensing

Gravitational Lensing PDF Author: Yannick Mellier
Publisher: Springer
ISBN:
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 344

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Book Description
This is an exhaustive review of our theoretical and observational knowledge of gravitational lensing 10 years after the discovery of the first lensed quasar, Q0957+561. Gravitational optics, optical, infrared, and radio observations of quasar-lens candidates, microlensing, arcs in clusters of galaxies, and radio rings are presented. In particular, the continuing survey of quasar-lens candidates, the new measurement of the time delay in 0957+561, the suspended microlensing effect through the galaxy 2237+030, as well as the discovery of new arcs and the measurement of new redshifts for two of them are presented. Numerous papers on the modelling of arcs and rings show how it should be possible to probe dark matter with these unexpected gravitational telescopes. Finally, tables summarize all the lens candidates we know today.

Singularity Theory and Gravitational Lensing

Singularity Theory and Gravitational Lensing PDF Author: Arlie O. Petters
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1461201454
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 616

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Book Description
This monograph is the first to develop a mathematical theory of gravitational lensing. The theory applies to any finite number of deflector planes and highlights the distinctions between single and multiple plane lensing. Introductory material in Parts I and II present historical highlights and the astrophysical aspects of the subject. Part III employs the ideas and results of singularity theory to put gravitational lensing on a rigorous mathematical foundation.

Formation of Structure in the Universe

Formation of Structure in the Universe PDF Author: Avishai Dekel
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521586320
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 492

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Book Description
This advanced textbook provides an up-to-date and comprehensive introduction to the very active field of structure formation in cosmology. It is written by eleven world-leading authorities. Written in a clear and pedagogical style appropriate for graduate students in astronomy and physics, this textbook introduces the reader to a wide range of exciting topics in contemporary cosmology: from recent advances in redshift surveys, to the latest models in gravitational lensing and cosmological simulations. The authors are all world-renowned experts both for their research and teaching skills. In the fast-moving field of structure formation, this book provides advanced undergraduate and graduate students with a welcome textbook which unites the latest theory and observations.

Gravitational Lensing

Gravitational Lensing PDF Author: Héctor Vives Arias
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 136

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Book Description


Gravitational Lensing: An Astrophysical Tool

Gravitational Lensing: An Astrophysical Tool PDF Author: Frederic Courbin
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3540458573
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 202

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Book Description
Gravitational lensing is by now sufficiently well understood that it can be used as a tool of investigation in other astrophysical areas. Applications include the determination of the Hubble constant, probing the dark matter context of galaxies and the mapping of the universe to the identification of otherwise invisible large-scale structures. Each chapter of the book covers in a self-contained manner a subfield of gravitational lensing, with the double aim of describing in a simple way the basics of the theory and of reviewing the most recent developments as well as applications foreseen in the near future. The book will thus be particularly useful as a high-level textbook for nonspecialist researchers and advanced students wishing to become familiar with the field all the way up to the forefront of research.