Teresa Riehm

Near-IR Search for Lensed Supernovae Behind Galaxy Clusters - II. First Detection and Future Prospects

Aims: Powerful gravitational telescopes in the form of massive galaxy clusters can be used to enhance the light collecting power over a limited field of view by about an order of magnitude in flux. This effect is exploited here to increase the depth of a survey for lensed supernovae at near-IR wavelengths. Methods: We present a pilot supernova search programme conducted with the ISAAC camera at VLT. Lensed galaxies behind the massive clusters A1689, A1835, and AC114 were observed for a total of 20 h divided into 2, 3, and 4 epochs respectively, separated by approximately one month to a limiting magnitude J ≲ 24 (Vega). Image subtractions including another 20 h worth of archival ISAAC/VLT data were used to search for transients with lightcurve properties consistent with redshifted supernovae, both in the new and reference data. Results: The feasibility of finding lensed supernovae in our survey was investigated using synthetic lightcurves of supernovae and several models of the volumetric type Ia and core-collapse supernova rates as a function of redshift. We also estimate the number of supernova discoveries expected from the inferred star-formation rate in the observed galaxies. The methods consistently predict a Poisson mean value for the expected number of supernovae in the survey of between N_SN = 0.8 and 1.6 for all supernova types, evenly distributed between core collapse and type Ia supernovae. One transient object was found behind A1689, 0.5 arcsec from a galaxy with photometric redshift z_gal = 0.6 ± 0.15. The lightcurve and colors of the transient are consistent with being a reddened type IIP supernova at z_SN = 0.59. The lensing model predicts 1.4 mag of magnification at the location of the transient, without which this object would not have been detected in the near-IR ground-based search described in this paper (unlensed magnitude J ~ 25). We perform a feasibility study of the potential for lensed supernovae discoveries with larger and deeper surveys and conclude that the use of gravitational telescopes is a very exciting path for new discoveries. For example, a monthly rolling supernova search of a single very massive cluster with the HAWK-I camera at VLT would yield ≳ 10 lensed supernova lightcurves per year, where type Ia supernovae would constitute about half of the expected sample. Based on observations made with ESO telescopes at the La Silla Paranal Observatory under programme ID 079.A-0192 and ID 081.A-0734.

Near-IR search for lensed supernovae behind galaxy clusters - III. Implications for cluster modeling and cosmology

Near-IR search for lensed supernovae behind galaxy clusters: III. Implications for cluster modeling and cosmology

A HIGHLY MAGNIFIED SUPERNOVA AT z = 1.703 BEHIND THE MASSIVE GALAXY CLUSTER A1689

Our ability to study the most remote supernova explosions, crucial for the understanding of the evolution of the high-redshift universe and its expansion rate, is limited by the light collection capabilities of telescopes. However, nature offers unique opportunities to look beyond the range within reach of our unaided instruments thanks to the light-focusing power of massive galaxy clusters. Here we report on the discovery of one of the most distant supernovae ever found, at redshift z = 1.703. Due to a lensing magnification factor of 4.3 ± 0.3, we are able to measure a light curve of the supernova, as well as spectroscopic features of the host galaxy with a precision comparable to what would otherwise only be possible with future generation telescopes.

Gravitational Lensing as a Probe of Cold Dark Matter Subhalos

In the cold dark matter scenario, dark matter halos are assembled hierarchically from smaller subunits. Some of these subunits are disrupted during the merging process, whereas others survive temporarily in the form of subhalos. A long-standing problem with this picture is that the number of subhalos predicted by simulations exceeds the number of luminous dwarf galaxies seen in the vicinity of large galaxies like the Milky Way. Many of the subhalos must therefore have remained dark or very faint. If cold dark matter subhalos are as common as predicted, gravitational lensing may in principle offer a promising route to detection. In this paper, we describe the many ways through which lensing by subhalos can manifest itself, and summarize the results from current efforts to constrain the properties of cold dark matter subhalos using such effects.

Strong Lensing by Subhalos in the Dwarf Galaxy Mass Range. I. Image Separations

The cold dark matter scenario predicts that a large number of dark subhalos should be located within the halo of each Milky Way-sized galaxy. One telltale signature of such dark subhalos could be additional milliarcsecond-scale image splitting of quasars previously known to be multiply imaged on arcsecond scales. Here we estimate the image separations for the subhalo density profiles favored by recent N-body simulations and compare these to the angular resolution of both existing and upcoming observational facilities. We find that the image separations produced are very sensitive to the exact subhalo density profile assumed, but in all cases they are considerably smaller than previous estimates based on the premise that subhalos can be approximated by singular isothermal spheres. Only the most optimistic subhalo models produce image separations that would be detectable with current technology, and many models produce image separations that will remain unresolved with all telescopes expected to become available in the foreseeable future. Detections of dark subhalos through image-splitting effects will therefore be far more challenging than currently believed, albeit not necessarily impossible.

STRONG LENSING BY SUBHALOS IN THE DWARF-GALAXY-MASS RANGE. II. DETECTION PROBABILITIES

The dark halo substructures predicted by current cold dark matter simulations may in principle be detectable through strong-lensing image-splitting of quasars on small angular scales (0.01 arcsec o ...

High-redshift microlensing and the spatial distribution of dark matter in the form of MACHOs

A substantial part of the dark matter of the Universe could be in the form of compact objects (MACHOs), detectable through gravitational microlensing effects as they pass through the line of sight ...

An analytical model of surface mass densities of cold dark matter haloes : with an application to MACHO microlensing optical depths

The cold dark matter (CDM) scenario generically predicts the existence of triaxial dark matter haloes which contain notable amounts of substructure. However, analytical halo models with smooth, spherically symmetric density profiles are routine ly adopted in the modelling of light propagation effects through such objects. In this paper, we address the biases introduced by this procedure by comparing the surface mass densities of actual N-body haloes against the widely used analytical model suggested by Navarro, Frenk and White (1996) (NFW). We conduct our analysis in the redshift range of 0.0 - 1.5. In cluster sized haloes, we find that triaxiality can cause sc atter in the surface mass density of the haloes up to �+ = +60% and � = 70%, where the 1-� limits are relative to the analytical NFW model given value. Subhaloes can increase this scatter to �+ = +70% and � = 80%. In galaxy sized haloes, the triaxial scatter can be as high a s �+ = +80% and � = 70%, and with subhaloes the values can change to �+ = +40% and � = 80%. We present an analytical model for the surface mass density scatter as a function of distance to the halo centre, halo redshift and halo mass. The analytical description enables one to investigate the reliability of results obtained with sim plified halo models. Additionally, it provides the means to add simulated surface density scatter to analytical density profiles. As an example, we discuss the impact of our results on the calculation of microlensing optical depths for MACHOs in CDM haloes.

The True Surface Mass density of Cold Dark Matter Halos

The cold dark matter (CDM) scenario generically predicts the existence of triaxial dark matter halos which contain notable amounts of substructure. However, analytical halo models with smooth, spherically symmetric density profiles are routinely adopted in the modelling of light propagation effects through such objects. In this paper, we report the biases introduced by this procedure by comparing the surface mass densities of actual N-body halos against the widely used analytical model suggested by Navarro, Frenk and White (1996) (NFW). We conduct our analysis in the redshift range of 0.0 − 1.5. In cluster sized halos, we find that triaxiality can cause scatter in the surface mass density of the halos up to σ + = +60% and σ − = −70%, where the 1-σ limits are relative to the analytical NFW model given value. Subhalos can increase this scatter to σ + = +70% and σ − = −80%. In galaxy sized halos, the triaxial scatter can be as high as σ + = +80% and σ − = −70%, and with subhalos the values can change to σ + = +40% and σ − = −80%. We have developed an analytical model for the surface mass density scatter as a function of distance to the halo centre, halo redshift and halo mass. The analytical description enables one to investigate the reliability of results obtained with simplified halo models. Additionally, it provides the means to add simulated surface density scatter to analytical density profiles. We have tested our model on the calculation of microlensing optical depths for MACHOs in CDM halos.

The detectability of dark galaxies through image-splitting effects

In principle, dark galaxies in the dwarf-galaxy mass range may be detectable through additional, small-scale image splitting of quasars that are already known to be multiply-imaged on arcsecond scales. Here, we derive the image separations expected for dark galaxies with density profiles favoured by recent N-body simulations. The results are compared to the angular resolution of existing and planned telescopes at X-ray, optical, near-infrared and radio wavelengths.