Gravitationally lensed extended sources: the case of QSO RXJ0911

TL;DR

This paper investigates how gravitational lensing affects the appearance of extended sources like the host galaxy of a high-redshift quasar, focusing on the case of QSO RXJ0911, to prepare for future high-resolution observations.

Contribution

It analyzes the complex lensing effects on extended sources near a cusp caustic, providing insights for interpreting upcoming high-resolution ALMA images.

Findings

Image appearance depends on source size and shape.

Relative brightness reveals source extension.

Results applicable to other quadruply imaged quasars.

Abstract

After a brief reminder of the mechanism of gravitational lensing of extended sources, the particular case of the host galaxy of QSO RXJ0911, a high redshift (z~2.8) quadruply imaged quasar, is explored. The non linearity of the problem, together with the proximity of the source to a cusp of the lens inner caustic, have important consequences on the dependence of the image appearance on the size and shape of the source. Their expected main features and their interpretation in terms of source extension and shape are investigated in a spirit of simplicity and in preparation for the analysis of high sensitivity and spatial resolution images that will soon be within reach with the completion of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). In particular, the information on source size carried by relative image brightness is discussed. Extension of the results to other types of quadruply imaged quasars is briefly considered.