SLICE: SPT-CL J0546-5345 -- A prominent strong-lensing cluster at $z=1.07$

TL;DR

This paper presents the first strong-lensing analysis of the high-redshift galaxy cluster SPT-CL J0546-5345 at z=1.07, revealing its mass distribution and multiple lensed background galaxies using JWST and HST data.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed strong-lensing study of a z=1.07 galaxy cluster, demonstrating its high mass and lensing efficiency at an early cosmic epoch.

Findings

Effective Einstein radii of 18.1'' at z=3 and 27.9'' at z=9.

Mass within 200 kpc is approximately 1.9 x 10^14 M_sun.

Identification of a potential multiply-imaged AGN or quasar.

Abstract

Massive galaxy clusters act as prominent strong-lenses. Due to a combination of observational biases, cluster evolution and lensing efficiency, most of the known cluster lenses lie typically at $z_{l}\sim0.2-0.7$, with only a few prominent examples at higher redshifts. Here we report a first strong-lensing analysis of the massive galaxy cluster SPT-CL J0546-5345 at a redshift $z_l=1.07$. This cluster was first detected through the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect, with a high estimated mass for its redshift of $M_{200,c} = (7.95 \pm 0.92) \times 10^{14}\,M_{\odot}$. Using recent JWST/NIRCam and archival HST imaging, we identify at least 10 secure and 6 candidate sets of multiply imaged background galaxies, which we use to constrain the mass distribution in the cluster. We derive effective Einstein radii of $\theta_{E}= 18.1 \pm 1.8 ''$ for a source at $z_{s}=3$, and $\theta_{E}= 27.9 \pm 2.8 ''$ for a source at $z_{s}=9$. The total projected mass within a $200$ kpc radius around the strong-lensing region is $M(<200\,\mathrm{kpc}) = (1.9 \pm 0.3) \times 10^{14}\,M_{\odot}$. While our results rely on photometric redshifts warranting spectroscopic follow-up, this central mass resembles that of the Hubble Frontier Fields clusters - although SPT-CL J0546-5345 is observed when the Universe was $\sim 3-4$ Gyr younger. Amongst the multiply-imaged sources, we identify a hyperbolic-umbilic-like configuration, and, thanks to its point-like morphology, a possible Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN). If confirmed spectroscopically, it will add to just a handful of other quasars and AGN known to be multiply lensed by galaxy clusters.