An optical n-body gravitational lens analogy

TL;DR

This paper introduces an optical analog system using water menisci around discs to simulate and study the complex phenomena of gravitational lensing by multiple mass clusters, providing a controllable experimental platform.

Contribution

It presents a novel water-based experimental setup that mimics n-body gravitational lensing effects, enabling detailed study of complex lensing phenomena in a laboratory setting.

Findings

Successfully simulated single, binary, and triple mass lensing scenarios.

Demonstrated the system's ability to reproduce rich gravitational lensing phenomenology.

Provided a versatile testbench for studying gravitational lens effects in astrophysics.

Abstract

Raised menisci around small discs positioned to pull up a water-air interface provide a well controllable experimental setup capable of reproducing much of the rich phenomenology of gravitational lensing (or microlensing events) by $n$-body clusters. Results are shown for single, binary and triple mass lenses. The scheme represents a versatile testbench for the (astro)physics of general relativity's gravitational lens effects, including high multiplicity imaging of extended sources.