Modeling Quasar Microlensing

Conference paper

Modeling Quasar Microlensing

Ledvina, L.; Heyrovský, D.

In: Šafránková, J.; Pavlů, J. (eds.) WDS'15 Proceedings of Contributed Papers — Physics, pp. 21 (2015)

Abstract

Light from a distant quasar passing in the vicinity of a foreground galaxy gets deflected by its gravitational field. According to Fermat’s principle several macro-images of the quasar can then be observed. In addition, the light may be affected by the gravitational field of individual stars moving in the lensing galaxy, creating multiple micro-images. We cannot resolve them because of their small angular separation, but we can observe an associated increase in the source flux due to microlensing. We use simulations to show how the prominent X-ray iron Kα line is affected during the microlensing event. We describe in detail the underlying numerical integration involving divergent integrands.

Institute authors

Heyrovský, David

Supported by

GACR 14-37086G — Albert Einstein Center for Gravitation and Astrophysics
GACR P209/10/1318 — Gravitational microlensing caustics and extended sources
GAUK 2000314 — Numerické simulace v obecné relativitě a astrofyzice
GAUK 621912 — Rozlišení struktury akrečního disku kvasaru
SVV-260211 — Aktuální problémy teoretické fyziky, astronomie a astrofyziky

BibTeX

@inproceedings{UTF727,
  author        = {Ledvina, L. and Heyrovský, D.},
  title         = {{Modeling Quasar Microlensing}},
  booktitle     = {Šafránková, J.; Pavlů, J. (eds.) WDS'15 Proceedings of Contributed Papers — Physics},
  pages         = {21},
  year          = {2015},
  url           = {https://www.mff.cuni.cz/veda/konference/wds/proc/pdf15/WDS15\_03\_f1\_Ledvina.pdf},
}