Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T16:29:08.318Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Time delays in cosmology with gravitational lenses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 September 2008

E.E. Falco*
Affiliation:
F.L. Whipple Observatory, Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 6369, Amado, AZ 85645, USA
Get access

Abstract

Gravitational lenses yield a very high rate of return onobservational investment. Given their scarcity, their impact on ourknowledge of the universe is very significant. In the weak-fieldlimit, lensing studies are based on well-established physics and thusoffer a straightforward approach to pursue many currently pressingproblems of astrophysics and cosmology. Examples of these are thesignificance of dark matter and the density, age and size of theuniverse. I present recent developments in cosmological applicationsof gravitational lenses, focusing on estimates of the Hubble constantusing strong lensing of quasars. I describe our recent measurements oftime delays for the images of SDSS J1004+4112, and discuss prospects forthe future utilizing synoptic telescopes, planned and underconstruction.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© EAS, EDP Sciences, 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Dabrowski, M.P., & Schunck, F.E., 2000, ApJ, 535, 316 CrossRef
Evans, N.W., 2003, “Gravitational lensing: a unique tool for cosmology”, ASP Conference Series, ed. D. Valls-Gabaud, J.-P., Kneib, [astro-ph/0304252]
Falco, E.E., Impey, C.D., Kochanek, C.S., et al., 1999, ApJ, 523, 617 CrossRef
Fassnacht, C.D., Xanthopoulos, E., Koopmans, L.V.E., & Rusin, D., 2002, ApJ, 581, 823 CrossRef
Fohlmeister, J., Kochanek, C.S., Falco, E.E., Morgan, C.W., & Wambsganss, J., 2007, [astro-ph/07101634]
Freedman, W.L., & Turner, M.S., 2003, Rev. Mod. Phys., 75, 1433 CrossRef
Guth, A., 1981, Phys. Rev. D, 23, 347 CrossRef
Inada, N., et al., 2003, Nature, 426, 810 CrossRef
Inada, N., et al., 2005, PASJ, 57, L7
Keeton, C.R., Falco, E.E., Impey, C.D., et al., 2000, ApJ, 542, 74 CrossRef
Kneib, J.-P., Ellis, R.S., Santos, M.R., & Richard, J., 2004, ApJ, 607, 697 CrossRef
Kochanek, C.S., Morgan, N.D., Falco, E.E., et al., 2006, ApJ, 640, 47 CrossRef
Kochanek, C.S., 2004, ArXiv Astrophysics e-prints, [astro-ph/0407232]
Kochanek, C.S., Keeton, C.R., & McLeod, B.A., 2001, ApJ, 547, 50 CrossRef
Motta, V., Mediavilla, E., Muñoz, J.A., et al., 2002, ApJ, 574, 719 CrossRef
Muñoz, J.A., Falco, E., Kochanek, C.S., McLeod, B.A., & Mediavilla, E., 2004, ApJ, 605, 614 CrossRef
Muñoz, J.A., Falco, E., Kochanek, C.S., Lehár, J., & Mediavilla, E., 2003, ApJ, 594, 684 CrossRef
Ofek, E.O., Maoz, D., Rix, H.-W., Kochanek, C.S., & Falco, E.E., 2006, ApJ, 641, 70 CrossRef
Peng, C.Y., 2004, Ph.D. Thesis (U. of Arizona)
Poindexter, S., Morgan, N., Kochanek, C.S., & Falco, E.E., 2007, ApJ, 660, 146 CrossRef
Press, W., Rybicki, G., & Hewitt, J., 1992, ApJ, 385, 416 CrossRef
Refsdal, S., 1964, MNRAS 128, 295
Richards, G.T., et al., 2004, ApJ, 610, 679 CrossRef
Rusin, D., Kochanek, C.S., Falco, E.E., et al., 2003, ApJ, 587, 143 CrossRef
Schild, R., & Thomson, D.J., 1997, AJ, 109, 1970 CrossRef
Scoville, N., 2007, Astron. Soc. Pac. Conf. Ser., 375, 166
Schneider, P., Ehlers, J., & Falco, E.E., 1992, “Gravitational Lenses” (Springer-Verlag)
Spergel, D.N., et al., 2003, ApJS, 148, 175 CrossRef
Trager, S.C., Faber, S.M., Worthey, G., & González, J.J., 2000, AJ, 119, 1645 CrossRef
Wittman, D., Margoniner, V.E., Tyson, J.A., et al., 2003, ApJ, 597, 218 CrossRef