Source Plane Reconstruction of The Bright Lensed Galaxy RCSGA 032727-132609

TL;DR

This paper uses high-resolution HST imaging to refine the lens model of a strongly lensed galaxy at z=1.7, enabling detailed source-plane reconstruction to study small-scale structures in the galaxy.

Contribution

It provides an improved lens model based on HST data, allowing for accurate source-plane reconstruction of a high-redshift galaxy.

Findings

Refined lens model of RCSGA 032727-132609

Reconstructed galaxy in source plane at 100-pc scale

Facilitates future spatially-resolved spectral analysis

Abstract

We present new HST/WFC3 imaging data of RCSGA 032727-132609, a bright lensed galaxy at z=1.7 that is magnified and stretched by the lensing cluster RCS2 032727-132623. Using this new high-resolution imaging, we modify our previous lens model (which was based on ground-based data) to fully understand the lensing geometry, and use it to reconstruct the lensed galaxy in the source plane. This giant arc represents a unique opportunity to peer into 100-pc scale structures in a high-redshift galaxy. This new source reconstruction will be crucial for a future analysis of the spatially-resolved rest-UV and rest-optical spectra of the brightest parts of the arc.