Mass Determination of QSOs Using Gravitational Lensing
Abstract
Only four pairs of quasars with different redshifts and angular separations smaller than 5'' are presently known. We propose to directly image with the WFPC2 planetary camera these interesting quasar associations in order to search for the presence of a secondary lensed image of the background source near the foreground quasar. The detection {or non- detection} of these putative secondary images will enable us to weigh {or significantly improve the upper limit on} the mass of the foreground quasars. These QSO mass estimates will take into account the lensing effects due to the host galaxy of the foreground quasar{s} and/or other intervening galaxies, if detected on the high quality PC images. Furthermore, one of these quasars {Q 1009-0252} has recently been reported to be multiply imaged. The WFPC2 CCD frames will also enable us to search for the lensing object{s} and for additional macro- lensed images of the background quasar, and will thus provide essential constraints on the lensing model.
- Publication:
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HST Proposal
- Pub Date:
- July 1996
- Bibcode:
- 1996hst..prop.6790S