Related papers: Optical analysis of a CMB cosmic string candidate
Cosmic strings (CS) are one-dimensional cosmological-size objects predicted in realistic models of the early Universe. Analysis of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy data from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP)…
We present a framework for detecting gravitational-wave signals lensed by cosmic strings (CSs), addressing a key gap in current searches. CSs, whose detection would provide a unique probe of high-energy physics and the early Universe,…
CSL1 is a peculiar object discovered in the OACDF. Photometric and spectroscopic investigation strongly suggest that it may be the first case of gravitational lensing by cosmic string. In this paper we derive and discuss a statistical…
We have searched 4.5 square degrees of archival HST/ACS images for cosmic strings, identifying close pairs of similar, faint galaxies and selecting groups whose alignment is consistent with gravitational lensing by a long, straight string.…
We study the correlation between the locations of galaxy-galaxy strong lensing candidates and tracers of large-scale structure from both weak lensing or X-ray emission. The COSMOS survey is a unique data set, combining deep, high resolution…
CSL-1 (Capodimonte--Sternberg--Lens Candidate, No.1) is an extragalactic double source detected in the OAC-DF (Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte - Deep Field). It can be interpreted either as the chance alignment of two identical…
It is discussed in detail the complete mathematical model of gravitational lensing on a single cosmic string (CS) of general shape and position with respect to the line of sight. CS are one-dimensional extended objects assuredly predicted…
The number of cosmic strings in the observable universe is relevant in determining the probability of detecting such cosmic defects through their gravitational signatures. In particular, we refer to the observation of gravitational lensing…
We present an analysis of the line-of-sight structure toward a sample of ten strong lensing cluster cores. Structure is traced by groups that are identified spectroscopically in the redshift range, 0.1 $\leq$ z $\leq$ 0.9, and we measure…
We present the first catalog of 67 strong galaxy-galaxy lens candidates discovered in the 1.64 square degree Hubble Space Telescope COSMOS survey. Twenty of these systems display multiple images or strongly curved large arcs. Our initial…
Cosmic strings are generically predicted in many extensions of the Standard Model of particle physics. We propose a new avenue for detecting cosmic strings through their effect on the filamentary structure in the cosmic web. Using…
We search the COSMOS survey for pairs of galaxies consistent with the gravitational lensing signature of a cosmic string. The COSMOS survey imaged 1.64 square degrees using the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) aboard the Hubble Space…
The galaxy image pair CSL-1 has been a leading candidate for a cosmic string lens. High quality imaging data from the Hubble Space Telescope presented here show that it is not a lens but a pair of galaxies. The galaxies show different…
The study of strong-lensing systems conventionally involves constructing a mass distribution that can reproduce the observed multiply-imaging properties. Such mass reconstructions are generically non-unique. Here, we present an alternative…
We report ten lens candidates in the E-CDFS from the GEMS survey. Nine of the systems are new detections and only one of the candidates is a known lens system. For the most promising five systems including the known lens system, we present…
Cosmic strings were postulated by Kibble in 1976 and, from a theoretical point of view, their existence finds support in modern superstring theories, both in compactification models and in theories with extended additional dimensions. Their…
We present the results of an unbiased radio search for gravitational lensing events with image separations between 15 and 60 arcsec, which would be associated with clusters of galaxies with masses >10^{13-14}M_{\sun}. A parent population of…
We present a list of 13 candidate gravitationally lensed submillimeter galaxies (SMGs) from 95 square degrees of the Herschel Multi-tiered Extragalactic Survey, a surface density of 0.14\pm0.04deg^{-2}. The selected sources have 500um flux…
We search Hubble Space Telescope Treasury Program images collected as part of the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey for pairs of galaxies consistent with the gravitational lensing signature of a cosmic string. Our technique includes…
It has been suggested that cosmic strings produced at a phase transition in the early universe can be the origin of the extremely high energy cosmic rays (EHCR) observed by AGASA above 10^20 eV. Superheavy cosmic strings with linear mass…