The Observatory for Multi-Epoch Gravitational Lens Astrophysics (OMEGA)

TL;DR

OMEGA is a proposed space observatory designed for multi-epoch imaging and spectroscopy of gravitationally lensed active galactic nuclei, enabling detailed studies of dark matter, black holes, and cosmology.

Contribution

It introduces a dedicated mission concept with advanced multi-channel imaging and spectroscopy for monitoring gravitational lenses over time, enhancing astrophysical and cosmological measurements.

Findings

Potential to measure dark matter substructure mass function

Ability to determine black hole masses and accretion disk structures

Precision measurement of Hubble expansion and cosmological distances

Abstract

(abridged) The Observatory for Multi-Epoch Gravitational Lens Astrophysics (OMEGA) is a mission concept for a 1.5-m near-UV through near-IR space observatory that will be dedicated to frequent imaging and spectroscopic monitoring of ~100 multiply-imaged active galactic nuclei over the whole sky. Using wavelength-tailored dichroics with extremely high transmittance, efficient imaging in six channels will be done simultaneously during each visit to each target. The separate spectroscopic mode, engaged through a flip-in mirror, uses an image slicer spectrograph. After a period of many visits to all targets, the resulting multidimensional movies can then be analyzed to a) measure the mass function of dark matter substructure; b) measure precise masses of the accreting black holes as well as the structure of their accretion disks and their environments over several decades of physical scale; and c) measure a combination of the local Hubble expansion and cosmological distances to unprecedented precision.