A Free-Form mass model of the Hubble Frontier Fields Cluster AS1063 (RXC J2248.7-4431) with over one hundred constraints

TL;DR

This paper presents a detailed free-form mass model of the galaxy cluster AS1063 using Hubble Frontier Fields data, accurately identifying multiple lensed systems and estimating their redshifts, revealing insights into the cluster's structure and a potential jet-induced star formation at high redshift.

Contribution

The study introduces a new free-form lens model for AS1063 that utilizes over 100 constraints, improving the accuracy of mass distribution and redshift estimation of lensed sources.

Findings

Accurate mass model reproduces over 100 lensed images.

No significant offset between mass centroid and X-ray emission.

Identification of a potential jet-induced star formation at z=3.1.

Abstract

We derive a free-form mass distribution for the massive cluster AS1063 (z=0.348) using the completed optical imaging from the Hubble Frontier Fields programme. Based on a subset of 11 multiply lensed systems with spectroscopic redshift we produce a lens model that is accurate enough to unveil new multiply lensed systems, totalling over a 100 arclets, and to estimate their redshifts geometrically. Consistency is found between this precise model and that obtained using only the subset of lensed sources with spectroscopically measured redshifts. Although a relatively large elongation of the mass distribution is apparent relative to the X-ray map, no significant offset is found between the centroid of our mass distribution and that of the X-ray emission map, suggesting a relatively relaxed state for this cluster. For the well resolved lensed images we provide detailed model comparisons to illustrate the precision of our model and hence the reliability of our de-lensed sources. A clear linear structure is associated with one such source extending approx. 23 kpc in length, that could be an example of jet-induced star formation, at redshift z=3.1.