Confirmation of Planet-Mass Objects in Extragalactic Systems

TL;DR

This study uses quasar microlensing observations to detect and constrain the distribution of planet-mass objects, including free-floating planets and primordial black holes, in extragalactic systems, providing new insights into sub-stellar populations.

Contribution

It presents the first constraints on sub-stellar mass distribution in galaxy clusters and demonstrates the effectiveness of microlensing in detecting planet-mass objects beyond our galaxy.

Findings

Constraints on planet-mass objects from Moon to Jupiter in galaxy structures.

Evidence supporting the universality of unbound planet-mass objects in galaxies.

Most stringent limits on primordial black holes in the studied mass range.

Abstract

Quasar microlensing serves as a unique probe of discrete objects within galaxies and galaxy clusters. Recent advancement of the technique shows that it can constrain planet-scale objects beyond our native galaxy by studying their induced microlensing signatures, the energy shift of emission lines originated in the vicinity of the black hole of high redshift background quasars. We employ this technique to exert effective constraints on the planet-mass object distribution within two additional lens systems, Q J0158$-$4325 ($z_l = 0.317$) and SDSS J1004+4112 ($z_l = 0.68$) using Chandra observations of the two gravitationally-lensed quasars. The observed variations of the emission line peak energy can be explained as microlensing of the FeK$\alpha$ emission region induced by planet-mass microlenses. To corroborate this, we perform microlensing simulations to determine the probability of a caustic transiting the source region and compare this with the observed line shift rates. Our analysis yields constraints on the sub-stellar population, with masses ranging from Moon ($10^{-8} M_{\odot}$) to Jupiter ($10^{-3} M_{\odot}$) sized bodies, within these galaxy or cluster scale structures, with total mass fractions of $\sim 3\times10^{-4}$ and $\sim 1\times10^{-4}$ with respect to halo mass for Q J0158$-$4325 and SDSS J1004+4112, respectively. Our analysis suggests that unbound planet-mass objects are universal in galaxies, and we surmise the objects to be either free-floating planets or primordial black holes. We present the first-ever constraints on the sub-stellar mass distribution in the intra-cluster light of a galaxy cluster. Our analysis yields the most stringent limit for primordial black holes at the mass range.