O. Wucknitz

Degeneracies and scaling relations in general power-law models for gravitational lenses

ABSTRA C T The time-delay in gravitational lenses can be used to derive the Hubble constant in a relatively simple way. The results of this method are less dependent on astrophysical assumptions than in many other methods. For systems with accurately measured positions and time-delays, the most important uncertainty is related to the mass model used. Simple parametric models like isothermal ellipsoidal mass distributions seem to provide consistent results with a reasonably small scatter when applied to several lens systems. We discuss a family of models with a separable radial power law and an arbitrary angular dependence for the potential ca r b FOuU. Isothermal potentials are a special case of these models with ba 1. An additional external shear is used to take into account perturbations from other galaxies. Using a simple linear formalism for quadruple lenses, we can derive H0 as a function of the observables and the shear. If the latter is fixed, the result depends on the assumed power-law exponent according to H0/O2 2 bU/b. The effect of external shear is quantified by introducing a ‘critical shear’gc as a measure for the amount of shear that changes the result significantly. The analysis shows that in the general case H0 and gc do not depend on the position of the lens galaxy. Spherical lens models with images close to the Einstein radius with fitted external shear differ by a factor of b/2 from shearless models, leading to H0/ 2 2 b in this case. We discuss these results and compare them with numerical models for a number of real lens

The Hubble constant from the gravitational lens CLASS B0218+357 using the Advanced Camera for Surveys

We present deep optical observations of the gravitational lens system CLASS B0218+357 from which we derive an estimate for the Hubble Constant (H0) Extensive radio observations using the VLA, MERLIN, the VLBA and VLBI have reduced the degeneracies between H0 and the mass model parameters in this lens to one involving only the position of the radioquiet lensing galaxy with respect to the lensed images. B0218+357 has an image separation of only 334 mas, so optical observations have, up until now, been unable to resolve the lens galaxy from the bright lensed images. Using the new Advanced Camera for Surveys, installed on the Hubble Space Telescopein 2002, we have obtained deep optical images of the lens system and surrounding field. These observations have allow ed us to determine the separation between the lens galaxy centre and the brightest image, and hence estimate H0. We find H 0 = 73±8 km s 1 Mpc 1 (68% confidence). This estimate is very similar to the local v alue from the Hubble Key Project and the value from WMAP, and is in agreement with the value deduced from radio observations of B0218+357.

Calibrating high-precision Faraday rotation measurements for LOFAR and the next generation of low-frequency radio telescopes

Faraday rotation measurements using the current and next generation of low-frequency radio telescopes will provide a powerful probe of astronomical magnetic fields. However, achieving the full potential of these measurements requires accurate removal of the time-variable ionospheric Faraday rotation contribution. We present ionFR, a code that calculates the amount of ionospheric Faraday rotation for a specific epoch, geographic location, and line-of-sight. ionFR uses a number of publicly available, GPS-derived total electron content maps and the most recent release of the International Geomagnetic Reference Field. We describe applications of this code for the calibration of radio polarimetric observations, and demonstrate the high accuracy of its modeled ionospheric Faraday rotations using LOFAR pulsar observations. These show that we can accurately determine some of the highest-precision pulsar rotation measures ever achieved. Precision rotation measures can be used to monitor rotation measure variations - either intrinsic or due to the changing line-of-sight through the interstellar medium. This calibration is particularly important for nearby sources, where the ionosphere can contribute a significant fraction of the observed rotation measure. We also discuss planned improvements to ionFR, as well as the importance of ionospheric Faraday rotation calibration for the emerging generation of low-frequency radio telescopes, such as the SKA and its pathfinders.

Models for the lens and source of B0218+357: a LensClean approach to determine H0

B0218+357 is one of the most promising systems to determine the Hubble constant from time-delays in gravitational lenses. Consisting of two bright images, which are well resolved in very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations, plus one of the most richly structured Einstein rings, it potentially provides better constraints for the mass model than most other systems. The main problem left until now was the very poorly determined position of the lensing galaxy. After presenting detailed results from classical lens modelling, we apply our improved version of the LensClean algorithm which for the first time utilizes the beautiful Einstein ring for lens modelling purposes. The primary result using isothermal lens models is a now very well defined lens position of (255 ± 6, 119 ± 4) mas relative to the A image, which allows the first reliable measurement of the Hubble constant from the time-delay of this system. The result of H0= (78 ± 6) km s−1 Mpc−1 (2σ) is very high compared with other lenses. It is, however, compatible with local estimates from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) key project and with WMAP results, but less prone to systematic errors. We furthermore discuss possible changes of these results for different radial mass profiles and find that the final values cannot be very different from the isothermal expectations. The power-law exponent of the potential is constrained by VLBI data of the compact images and the inner jet to be β= 1.04 ± 0.02, which confirms that the mass distribution is approximately isothermal (corresponding to β= 1), but slightly shallower. The effect on H0 is reduced from the expected 4 per cent decrease by an estimated shift of the best galaxy position of circa 4 mas to at most 2 per cent. Maps of the unlensed source plane produced from the best LensClean brightness model show a typical jet structure and allow us to identify the parts which are distorted by the lens to produce the radio ring. We also present a composite map which for the first time shows the rich structure of B0218+357 on scales ranging from mas to arcsec, both in the image plane and in the reconstructed source plane. Finally, we use a comparison of observations at different frequencies to investigate the question of possible weakening of one of the images by propagation effects and/or source shifts with frequency. The data clearly favour the model of significant ‘extinction’ without noticeable source position shifts. The technical details of our variant of the LensClean method are presented in the accompanying Paper I.

The HRX-BL Lac sample – Evolution of BL Lac objects

The unification of X-ray and radio selected BL Lacs has been an outstanding problem in the blazar research in the past years. Recent investigations have shown that the gap between the two classes can be filled with intermediate objects and that apparently all dierences can be explained by mutual shifts of the peak frequencies of the synchrotron and inverse Compton component of the emission. We study the consequences of this scheme using a new sample of X-ray selected BL Lac objects comprising 104 objects with z < 0:9 and a mean redshift ¯ = 0:34. 77 BL Lacs, of which the redshift could be determined for 64 (83%) objects, form a complete sample. The new data could not confirm our earlier result, drawn from a subsample, that the negative evolution vanishes below a synchrotron peak frequency logpeak= 16:5. The complete sample shows negative evolution at the 2 level (hVe=Vai = 0:42 0:04). We conclude that the observed properties of the HRX BL Lac sample show typical behaviour for X-ray selected BL Lacs. They support an evolutionary model, in which flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQ) with high energetic jets evolve towards low frequency peaked (mostly radio-selected) BL Lac objects and later on to high frequency peaked (mostly X-ray selected) BL Lacs.

M 87 at metre wavelengths: the LOFAR picture

Context. M87 is a giant elliptical galaxy located in the centre of the Virgo cluster, which harbours a supermassive black hole of mass 6.4×109 M, whose activity is responsible for the extended (80 kpc) radio lobes that surround the galaxy. The energy generated by matter falling onto the central black hole is ejected and transferred to the intra-cluster medium via a relativistic jet and morphologically complex systems of buoyant bubbles, which rise towards the edges of the extended halo. Aims. To place constraints on past activity cycles of the active nucleus, images of M 87 were produced at low radio frequencies never explored before at these high spatial resolution and dynamic range. To disentangle different synchrotron models and place constraints on source magnetic field, age and energetics, we also performed a detailed spectral analysis of M 87 extended radio-halo. Methods. We present the first observations made with the new Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) of M 87 at frequencies down to 20 MHz. Three observations were conducted, at 15−30 MHz, 30−77 MHz and 116−162 MHz. We used these observations together with archival data to produce a low-frequency spectral index map and to perform a spectral analysis in the wide frequency range 30 MHz–10 GHz. Results. We do not find any sign of new extended emissions; on the contrary the source appears well confined by the high pressure of the intracluster medium. A continuous injection of relativistic electrons is the model that best fits our data, and provides a scenario in which the lobes are still supplied by fresh relativistic particles from the active galactic nuclei. We suggest that the discrepancy between the low-frequency radiospectral slope in the core and in the halo implies a strong adiabatic expansion of the plasma as soon as it leaves the core area. The extended halo has an equipartition magnetic field strength of 10 μG, which increases to 13 μG in the zones where the particle flows are more active. The continuous injection model for synchrotron ageing provides an age for the halo of 40 Myr, which in turn provides a jet kinetic power of 6−10 × 1044 erg s−1.

First LOFAR observations at very low frequencies of cluster-scale non-thermal emission: the case of Abell 2256

Abell 2256 is one of the best known examples of a galaxy cluster hosting large-scale diffuse radio emission that is unrelated to individual galaxies. It contains both a giant radio halo and a relic, as well as a number of head-tail sources and smaller diffuse steep-spectrum radio sources. The origin of radio halos and relics is still being debated, but over the last years it has become clear that the presence of these radio sources is closely related to galaxy cluster merger events. Here we present the results from the first LOFAR low band antenna (LBA) observations of Abell 2256 between 18 and 67 MHz. To our knowledge, the image presented in this paper at 63 MHz is the deepest ever obtained at frequencies below 100 MHz in general. Both the radio halo and the giant relic are detected in the image at 63 MHz, and the diffuse radio emission remains visible at frequencies as low as 20 MHz. The observations confirm the presence of a previously claimed ultra-steep spectrum source to the west of the cluster center with a spectral index of -2.3 +/- 0.4 between 63 and 153 MHz. The steep spectrum suggests that this source is an old part of a head-tail radio source in the cluster. For the radio relic we find an integrated spectral index of -0.81 +/- 0.03, after removing the flux contribution from the other sources. This is relatively flat which could indicate that the efficiency of particle acceleration at the shock substantially changed in the last similar to 0.1 Gyr due to an increase of the shock Mach number. In an alternative scenario, particles are re-accelerated by some mechanism in the downstream region of the shock, resulting in the relatively flat integrated radio spectrum. In the radio halo region we find indications of low-frequency spectral steepening which may suggest that relativistic particles are accelerated in a rather inhomogeneous turbulent region.

High-Resolution Optical and Near-Infrared Imaging of the Quadruple Quasar RX J0911.4+0551*

We report the detection of four images in the recently discovered lensed QSO RX J0911.410551. With a maximum angular separation of 30 it is the quadruply imaged QSO with the widest known angular separation. Raw and deconvolved data reveal an elongated lens galaxy. The observed reddening in at least two of the four QSO images suggests differential extinction by this lensing galaxy. We show that both an ellipticity of the galaxy ( ) and an external shear ( ) from a nearby mass have to be included in the lensing potential e 5 0.075 g 5 0.15 min min in order to reproduce the complex geometry observed in RX J0911.410551. A possible galaxy cluster is detected about 380 from RX J0911.410551 and could contribute to the X-ray emission observed by ROSAT in this field. The color of these galaxies indicates a plausible redshift in the range of 0.6‐0.8. Subject headings: galaxies: clusters: general — gravitational lensing — quasars: individual (RX J0911.4 10551)

Disentangling microlensing and differential extinction in the double QSO HE 0512–3329

We present the first separate spectra of both components of the small-separation double QSO HE 0512-3329 obtained with HST/STIS in the optical and near UV. The similarities especially of the emission line profiles and redshifts strongly suggest that this system really consists of two lensed images of one and the same source. The emission line flux ratios are assumed to be unaected by microlensing and are used to study the dierential extinction eects caused by the lensing galaxy. Fits of empirical laws show that the extinction properties seem to be dierent on both lines of sight. With our new results, HE 0512-3329 becomes one of the few extragalactic systems which show the 2175 A absorption feature, although the detection is only marginal. We then correct the continuum flux ratio for extinction to obtain the dierential microlensing signal. Since this may still be significantly aected by variability and time-delay eects, no detailled analysis of the microlensing is possible at the moment. This is the first time that dierential extinction and microlensing could be separated unambiguously. We show that, at least in HE 0512-3329, both eects contribute significantly to the spectral dierences and one cannot be analysed without taking into account the other. For lens modelling purposes, the flux ratios can only be used after correcting for both eects.

LOFAR tied-array imaging of Type III solar radio bursts

The Sun is an active source of radio emission which is often associated with energetic phenomena such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). At low radio frequencies (<100 MHz), the Sun has not been imaged extensively because of the instrumental limitations of previous radio telescopes. Here, the combined high spatial, spectral and temporal resolution of the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) was used to study solar Type III radio bursts at 30-90 MHz and their association with CMEs. The Sun was imaged with 126 simultaneous tied-array beams within 5 solar radii of the solar centre. This method offers benefits over standard interferometric imaging since each beam produces high temporal (83 ms) and spectral resolution (12.5 kHz) dynamic spectra at an array of spatial locations centred on the Sun. LOFARs standard interferometric output is currently limited to one image per second. Over a period of 30 minutes, multiple Type III radio bursts were observed, a number of which were found to be located at high altitudes (4 solar radii from the solar center at 30 MHz) and to have non-radial trajectories. These bursts occurred at altitudes in excess of values predicted by 1D radial electron density models. The non-radial high altitude Type III bursts were found to be associated with the expanding flank of a CME. The CME may have compressed neighbouring streamer plasma producing larger electron densities at high altitudes, while the non-radial burst trajectories can be explained by the deflection of radial magnetic fields as the CME expanded in the low corona.