NICMOS and VLA Observations of the Gravitatonally Lensed Ultraluminous BAL Quasar APM~08279+5255: Detection of a Third Image

Details NICMOS and VLA Observations of the Gravitatonally Lensed Ultraluminous BAL Quasar APM~08279+5255: Detection of a Third Image NICMOS and VLA Observations of the Gravitatonally Lensed Ultraluminous BAL Quasar APM~08279+5255: Detection of a Third Image

1999-08-05

arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/9908052v1

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

21 pages, 5 figures (2 as GIF files); accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journal

Scientific paper

10.1086/301111

We present a suite of observations of the recently identified ultraluminous BAL quasar APM 08279+5255, taken both in the infra-red with the NICMOS high resolution camera on board the Hubble Space Telescope, and at 3.5cm with the Very Large Array. With an inferred luminosity of ~5x10^15 Solar luminosities, APM 08279+5255 is apparently the most luminous system known. Extant ground-based images show that APM 08279+5255 is not point-like, but is instead separated into two components, indicative of gravitational lensing. The much higher resolution images presented here also reveal two point sources, A and B, of almost equal brightness (f_B/f_A=0.782 +/- 0.010), separated by 0."378 +/- 0."001, as well as a third, previously unknown, fainter image, C, seen between the brighter images. While the nature of C is not fully determined, several lines of evidence point to it being a third gravitationally lensed image of the quasar, rather than being the lensing galaxy. Simple models which recover the relative image configuration and brightnesses are presented. While proving to be substantially amplified, APM 08279+5255 possesses an intrinsic bolometric luminosity of ~10^14 to 10^15 Solar luminosities and remains amongst the most luminous objects known.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

NICMOS and VLA Observations of the Gravitatonally Lensed Ultraluminous BAL Quasar APM~08279+5255: Detection of a Third Image does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with NICMOS and VLA Observations of the Gravitatonally Lensed Ultraluminous BAL Quasar APM~08279+5255: Detection of a Third Image, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and NICMOS and VLA Observations of the Gravitatonally Lensed Ultraluminous BAL Quasar APM~08279+5255: Detection of a Third Image will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-75185