Exploring gravitational lensing model variations in the Frontier Fields galaxy clusters

Citation:

Harris James N J, Raney C, Brennan S, Keeton C. Exploring gravitational lensing model variations in the Frontier Fields galaxy clusters. American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #231. 2018;231 :#255.11.
Nicholas James presents his 2018 AAS Poster.

Abstract:

Multiple groups have been working on modeling the mass distributions of the six lensing galaxy clusters in the Hubble Space Telescope Frontier Fields data set. The magnification maps produced from these mass models will be important for the future study of the lensed background galaxies, but there exists significant variation in the different groups\rsquo models and magnification maps. We explore the use of two-dimensional histograms as a tool for visualizing these magnification map variations. Using a number of simple, one- or two-halo singular isothermal sphere models, we explore the features that are produced in 2D histogram model comparisons when parameters such as halo mass, ellipticity, and location are allowed to vary. Our analysis demonstrates the potential of 2D histograms as a means of observing the full range of differences between the Frontier Fields groups\rsquo models.This work has been supported by funding from National Science Foundation grants PHY-1560077 and AST-1211385, and from the Space Telescope Science Institute.

Last updated on 02/08/2018