Cusped Mass Models of Gravitational Lenses

Muñoz, J. A.; Kochanek, C. S.; Keeton, C. R.
Bibliographical reference

The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 558, Issue 2, pp. 657-665.

Advertised on:
9
2001
Number of authors
3
IAC number of authors
1
Citations
92
Refereed citations
76
Description
Recent observations of galaxy luminosity profiles and dark matter simulations find luminosity and mass distributions characterized by central cusps rather than finite core radii. We introduce and implement a set of cusped ellipsoidal lens models that include limits similar to the Jaffe, Hernquist, η and NFW models and apply them to the gravitational lenses APM 08279+5255 and B1933+503. A successful model of APM 08279+5255 with its central, odd image requires a very shallow cusp, γ<~0.4, where ρ~r-γ as r-->0, which is similar to a core rather than the favored 1<~γ<~2 cusps. B1933+503, by contrast, is well modeled with a steep density cusp, 1.6<~γ<~2.0.