HST Observations of New Gravitational Lens Candidates
Abstract
Two new promising cases of multiply imaged quasars {J03.13 A and B and HE1104-180 A and B} have recently been identified in the framework of systematic optical surveys for gravitational lenses carried out at the European Southern Observatory. Furthermore, following a careful re-analysis {numerical PSF subtraction} of a sample of WFPC planetary camera frames obtained for 41 selected highly luminous quasars within the HST snapshot survey, we have identified several good gravitational lens candidates among which 0956+1217. For several of these candidates, individual spectra of the resolved QSO images have never been obtained. The lens has not yet been identified for most of them. No direct imagery at high angular resolution {<= 0.1"} exists for the two first candidates. The interesting structures seen for the best HST candidate need to be confirmed. Taking advantage of the excellent angular resolution of HST, we propose to obtain FOS spectra and to directly image with the WFPC2 planetary camera these new gravitational lens candidates in order to identify their real physical nature {lensed or not lensed} and to set important constraints on the lensing {or other} models.
- Publication:
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HST Proposal
- Pub Date:
- July 1995
- Bibcode:
- 1995hst..prop.5958S