The Importance of Einstein Rings

Details The Importance of Einstein Rings The Importance of Einstein Rings

2000-06-08

arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0006116v1

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

21 pages, 8 figures, submitted to the ApJ

Scientific paper

10.1086/318350

We develop a theory of Einstein rings and demonstrate it using the infrared Einstein ring images of the quasar host galaxies observed in PG1115+080, B1608+656 and B1938+666. The shape of an Einstein ring accurately and independently determines the shape of the lens potential and the shape of the lensed host galaxy. We find that the host galaxies of PG1115+080, B1608+656 and B1938+666 have axis ratios of 0.58+/-0.02, 0.69+/-0.02 and 0.62+/-0.15 including the uncertainties in the lens models. The Einstein rings break the degeneracies in the mass distributions or Hubble constants inferred from observations of gravitational lenses. In particular, the Einstein ring in PG1115+080 rules out the centrally concentrated mass distributions that lead to a high Hubble constant (H_0>60 km/s Mpc) given the measured time delays. Deep, detailed observations of Einstein rings will be revolutionary for constraining mass models and determining the Hubble constant from time delay measurements.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

The Importance of Einstein Rings 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 The Importance of Einstein Rings, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Importance of Einstein Rings will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-407135