New database for a sample of optically bright lensed quasars in the northern hemisphere

TL;DR

This paper introduces a comprehensive, publicly accessible database of nine bright gravitationally lensed quasars in the northern hemisphere, including extensive follow-up observations useful for dark matter and astrophysical studies.

Contribution

It presents a new, detailed database of 6557 processed astronomical frames of nine gravitationally lensed quasars, enhancing resources for gravitational lensing and dark matter research.

Findings

Database includes 6557 frames from 1999-2016.

Contains data on 9 bright GLQs and additional quasars.

Supports studies on dark matter distribution.

Abstract

In the framework of the Gravitational LENses and DArk MAtter (GLENDAMA) project, we present a database of nine gravitationally lensed quasars (GLQs) that have two or four images brighter than $r$ = 20 mag and are located in the northern hemisphere. This new database consists of a rich variety of follow-up observations included in the GLENDAMA global archive, which is publicly available online and contains 6557 processed astronomical frames of the nine lens systems over the period 1999$-$2016. In addition to the GLQs, our archive also incorporates binary quasars, accretion-dominated radio-loud quasars, and other objects, where about 50% of the non-GLQs were observed as part of a campaign to identify GLQ candidates. Most observations of GLQs correspond to an ongoing long-term macro-programme with 2$-$10 m telescopes at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, and these data provide information on the distribution of dark matter at all scales. We outline some previous results from the database, and we additionally obtain new results for several GLQs that update the potential of the tool for astrophysical studies.