Image simulations for gravitational lensing with SkyLens

TL;DR

SkyLens is an advanced ray-tracing simulation tool that produces realistic strong lensing images for any telescope, incorporating recent improvements like multi-lens planes and detailed source galaxy models.

Contribution

The paper introduces the latest version of SkyLens with new features such as multi-lens plane formalism and realistic source galaxy simulations, enhancing the realism of lensing image simulations.

Findings

Simulated observations match real telescope data.

Enhanced realism with substructure and denoised sources.

Versatile for various space and ground-based telescopes.

Abstract

We present the latest version of the ray-tracing simulation code Skylens, which can be used to develop image simulations that reproduce strong lensing observations by any mass distribution with a high level of realism. Improvements of the code with respect to previous versions include the implementation of the multi-lens plane formalism, the use of denoised source galaxies from the Hubble eXtreme Deep Field, and the simulation of substructures in lensed arcs and images, based on a morphological analysis of bright nearby galaxies. Skylens can simulate observations with virtually any telescope. We present examples of space- and ground-based observations of a galaxy cluster through the Wide Field Channel on the Advanced Camera for Surveys of the Hubble Space Telescope, the Near Infrared Camera of the James Webb Space Telescope, the Wide Field Imager of the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope, the Hyper Suprime Camera of the Subaru telescope, and the Visible Imaging Channel of the Euclid space mission.