Related papers: Time-domain studies of gravitationally lensed quas…
Gravitationally lensed QSOs (GLQs) at redshift z = 1-2 play a key role in understanding the cosmic evolution of the innermost parts of active galaxies (black holes, accretion disks, coronas and internal jets), as well as the structure of…
In the framework of the Gravitational LENses and DArk MAtter (GLENDAMA) project, we present a database of nine gravitationally lensed quasars (GLQs) that have two or four images brighter than $r$ = 20 mag and are located in the northern…
Strong gravitational lensing of time variable sources such as quasars and supernovae creates observable time delays between the multiple images. Time delays can provide a powerful cosmographic probe through the "time delay distance"…
Absorption spectroscopy of gravitationally lensed quasars (GLQs) enables study of spatial variations in the interstellar and/or circumgalactic medium of foreground galaxies. We report observations of 4 GLQs, each with two images separated…
We extend the gr-band time coverage of the gravitationally lensed double quasar Q0957+561. New gr light curves permit us to detect significant intrinsic fluctuations, to determine new time delays, and thus to gain perspective on the…
Strong lensing gravitational time delays are a powerful and cost effective probe of dark energy. Recent studies have shown that a single lens can provide a distance measurement with 6-7 % accuracy (including random and systematic…
A gravitational lens (GL)-search program, initiated in 1990 at the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT), has revealed several possible GL-candidates among a sample of 168 quasars (QSOs), chosen from three lists compiled by C. Hazard, D. Reimers…
Gravitationally lensed quasars offer a unique opportunity to study cosmological and extragalactic phenomena, using reliable light curves of the lensed images. This requires accurate deblending of the quasar images, which is not trivial due…
We present results of the long term monitoring of the gravitationally lensed quasar HE1104-1805. The photometric data were collected between August 1997 and January 2002 as a subproject of the OGLE survey. We determine the time delay in the…
We present new brightness monitoring observations of the 4 components of gravitationally lensed system Q2237+0305, which show detection of an intrinsic quasar brightness fluctuation at a time of subdued microlensing activity, between June…
Longtime monitoring of gravitational lens systems is often done using telescopes and recording equipment with modest resolution. Still, it would be interesting to get as much information as possible from the measured lightcurves. From high…
The four observables associated with gravitational lensing of distant quasars by intervening galaxies: image splittings, relative amplifications, time delays, and optical depths, provide separate measures of the strength of the…
The quadruple quasar H1413+117 (z_s = 2.56) has been monitored with the 2.0 m Liverpool Telescope in the r Sloan band from 2008 February to July. This optical follow-up leads to accurate light curves of the four quasar images (A-D), which…
To go into the details about the variability of the double quasar SBS 0909+532, we designed a monitoring programme with the 2 m Liverpool Robotic Telescope in the r Sloan filter, spanning 1.5 years from 2005 January to 2006 June. The r-band…
In the upcoming synoptic all--sky survey era of astronomy, thousands of new multiply imaged quasars are expected to be discovered and monitored regularly. Light curves from the images of gravitationally lensed quasars are further affected…
Little is known about the statistics of gravitationally lensed quasars at large (7''-30'') image separations, which probe masses on the scale of galaxy clusters. We have carried out a survey for gravitationally-lensed objects, among sources…
The time delay between images of strongly gravitationally lensed quasars is an established cosmological probe. Its limitations, however, include uncertainties in the assumed mass distribution of the lens. We re-examine the methodology of a…
Based on a recently started programme, we report the first search for intranight optical variability among radio-quiet weak-line-quasars (RQWLQs). Eight members of this class were observed on 13 nights in the R-band, such that each source…
We use numerical simulations to test a broad range of plausible observational strategies designed to measure the time delay between the images of gravitationally lensed quasars. Artificial quasar light curves are created along with…
We present results of a programme of multi-epoch, intra-night optical monitoring of a sample of non-blazar type AGN, which includes seven radio-quiet QSOs (RQQs) and an equal number of radio-loud, lobe-dominated quasars (LDQs), covering a…