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astronomers discover compound lens system

Astronomers Unlock the Mystery of Compound Gravitational Lensing by Two Galaxies

Illustration of two galaxies aligned to form a compound gravitational lens, distorting light from a distant quasar.

Introduction of Gravitational Lensing

Astronomers from an international team have discovered two galaxies aligned in a way that their gravitational forces create a compound lens. Their study has been published on arXiv.

Previous Research on Gravitational Lensing

Gravitational Lensing: Gravitational Lensing occurs when the gravitational field of a massive object, like a galaxy, bends light from a more distant object, such as a quasar.

Previous Research: Earlier investigations have identified galaxies or galaxy clusters bending light in alignment with predictions from Einstein's general relativity. Astronomers observe that such lenses imperfectly distort the light behind them in intriguing patterns.

Discovery of a Compound Lens

Elliptical Galaxies as Lenses

Elliptical galaxies have been observed by some researchers to function as lenses, amplifying the light form objects behind them.

What is a Compound Lens?

A compound lens consists of two lenses. In artificial lenses, the lenses are bonded to counteract each other's dispersion. In astronomy, this lens naturally forms when two galaxies align precisely in space, creating a more complex lensing effect.

Groundbreaking Study: Two Galaxies as Compound Lenses

In this groundbreaking study, the team identified, for the first time, two galaxies whose alignment enables their gravitational forces to act as a compound lens.

A compound lens, as implied by its name, consists of two lenses. Artificially created ones are bonded together to counteract each other's dispersion. In astronomy, such a lens forms naturally when two galaxies align precisely.

Case Study: J1721+8842

Initial Observations of J1721+8842

When J1721+8842 was first identified, researchers thought a solitary elliptical galaxy was distorting light from a background quasar.

Extended Study Reveals Light Fragment Variations

A two-year study, however, revealed image variations and seemingly duplicated light fragments.

Closer examination revealed that the additional light fragments matched the main quartet, confirming all six originated from the same source. Previous research suggested such imagery could result from a natural compound lens.

Verifying the Compound Lens

Role of the James Webb Space Telescope

Using additional data from the James Webb Space Telescope, researchers determined that a reddish ring, previously thought to be an Einstein ring, was a second lensing galaxy.

Confirmation via Computer Modeling

They verified this findings by constructing a computer model, confirming the compound lens.

Implications of the Discovery

Refining Calculations of the Hubble Constant

The research team anticipates that their findings will enable other scientists to refine calculations of the Hubble constant, potentially resolving the ongoing debate about its true value.

Source


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