Related papers: Weak lensing for precision cosmology
We introduce a new method for constraining the redshift distribution of a set of galaxies, using weak gravitational lensing shear. Instead of using observed shears and redshifts to constrain cosmological parameters, we ask how well the…
The theory of General Relativity predicts that, since massive bodies curve spacetime, light from a distant source would be deflected by a foreground massive object -- a phenomenon known as \emph{Gravitational Lensing}. Historically, the…
A large number of cosmological studies now suggest that roughly two-thirds of the critical energy density of the Universe exists in a component with negative pressure. If the equation of state of such an energy component varies with time,…
With future wide and deep cosmological sky surveys, a large number of gravitationally lensed, multiply imaged systems will be found. In addition to multiply imaged galaxies and quasars, sources will include transient events like supernovae…
We consider the impact of key astrophysical and measurement systematics on constraints on dark energy and modifications to gravity on cosmic scales. We focus on upcoming photometric "Stage III" and "Stage IV" large scale structure surveys…
Strong lensing has developed into an important astrophysical tool for probing both cosmology and galaxies (their structure, formation, and evolution). Using the gravitational lensing theory and cluster mass distribution model, we try to…
Surveys of weak gravitational lensing of distant galaxies will be one of the key cosmological probes in the future. We study the ability of such surveys to constrain neutrino masses and the equation of state parameter of the dark energy,…
Current theories of structure formation predict specific density profiles of galaxy dark matter haloes, and with weak gravitational lensing we can probe these profiles on several scales. On small scales, higher-order shape distortions known…
We present a first attempt to reveal the possible existence of large foreground mass condensations directly responsible for the gravitational magnification of four distant luminous radiosources and one optical QSO. The technique uses a weak…
By using the comoving distance, we derive an analytic expression for the optical depth of gravitational lensing, which depends on the redshift to the source and the cosmological model characterized by the cosmic mass density parameter…
The weak gravitational lensing of high redshift type Ia supernovae has the potential of probing the structure of matter on galaxy halo scales. This is complementary to the weak lensing of galaxies which probes structure of larger scales.…
Weak lensing magnification probes the correlation between galaxies and the underlying matter field in a similar fashion to galaxy-galaxy lensing shear. Although it has long been sidelined in favor of the latter on the grounds of a poorer…
We report a detection of the coherent distortion of faint galaxies arising from gravitational lensing by foreground structures. This ``cosmic shear'' is potentially the most direct measure of the mass power spectrum, as it is unaffected by…
I shall outline the basic principles and some observational aspects of weak gravitational lensing, and discuss several applications of this powerful tool in observational cosmology. It will be explained why the applications have been…
We investigate the cosmological constraining power of combined weak galaxy lensing and galaxy clustering probes, i.e. $3\times2$-point analyses, assuming flexible models for redshift uncertainty, and Lagrangian perturbation theory and…
We investigate the expected cosmological constraints from a combination of weak lensing and large-scale galaxy clustering using realistic redshift distributions. Introducing a systematic bias in the weak lensing redshift distributions (of…
We use weak gravitational lensing to measure mean mass profiles around Locally Brightest Galaxies (LBGs). These are selected from the SDSS/DR7 spectroscopic and photometric catalogues to be brighter than any neighbour projected within 1.0…
We study the accuracy with which weak lensing measurements could be made from a future space-based survey, predicting the subsequent precisions of 3-dimensional dark matter maps, projected 2-dimensional dark matter maps, and mass-selected…
The purpose of these lecture notes is to describe the gravitational lens effects in different astrophysical contexts. These notes are voluntarily focused on the fundamental mechanisms and the basic concepts that are useful to describe these…
The GRavitational lEnsing Accuracy Testing 2008 (GREAT08) Challenge focuses on a problem that is of crucial importance for future observations in cosmology. The shapes of distant galaxies can be used to determine the properties of dark…