Astro2020 Science White Paper - Quasar Microlensing: Revolutionizing our Understanding of Quasar Structure and Dynamics
Abstract
Microlensing by stars within distant galaxies acting as strong gravitational lenses of multiply-imaged quasars, provides a unique and direct measurement of the internal structure of the lensed quasar on nano-arcsecond scales. The measurement relies on the temporal variation of high-magnification caustic crossings which vary on timescales of days to years. Multiwavelength observations provide information from distinct emission regions in the quasar. Through monitoring of these strong gravitational lenses, a full tomographic view can emerge with Astronomical-Unit scale resolution. Work to date has demonstrated the potential of this technique in about a dozen systems. In the 2020s there will be orders of magnitude more systems to work with. Monitoring of lens systems for caustic-crossing events to enable triggering of multi-platform, multi-wavelength observations in the 2020s will fulfill the potential of quasar microlensing as a unique and comprehensive probe of active black hole structure and dynamics.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.1904.12967,
title = {Astro2020 Science White Paper - Quasar Microlensing: Revolutionizing our Understanding of Quasar Structure and Dynamics},
author = {Leonidas Moustakas and Matthew O'Dowd and Timo Anguita and Rachel Webster and George Chartas and Matthew Cornachione and Xinyu Dai and Carina Fian and Damien Hutsemekers and Jorge Jimenez-Vicente and Kathleen Labrie and Geraint Lewis and Chelsea Macleod and Evencio Mediavilla and Christopher W Morgan and Veronica Motta and Anna Nierenberg and David Pooley and Karina Rojas and Dominique Sluse and Georgios Vernardos and Joachim Wambsganss and Suk Yee Yong},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1904.12967},
year = {2019}
}
Comments
White paper submitted to Astro2020 decadal survey; 7 pages, 3 figures