Bibcode
DOI
Motta, V.; Mediavilla, E.; Muñoz, J. A.; Falco, E.; Kochanek, C. S.; Arribas, S.; García-Lorenzo, B.; Oscoz, A.; Serra-Ricart, M.
Bibliographical reference
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 574, Issue 2, pp. 719-725.
Advertised on:
8
2002
Journal
Citations
91
Refereed citations
80
Description
We determine the extinction curve in the zl=0.83 lens galaxy
of the gravitational lens SBS 0909+532 from the wavelength dependence of
the flux ratio between the lensed quasar images (zs=1.38)
from 3400 to 9200 Å. It is the first measurement of an extinction
curve at a cosmological distance of comparable quality to those obtained
within the Galaxy. The extinction curve has a strong 2175 Å
feature, a noteworthy fact because it has been weak or nonexistent in
most estimates of extinction curves outside the Galaxy. The extinction
curve is fitted well by a standard RV=2.1+/-0.9 Galactic
extinction curve. If we assume standard Galactic extinction laws, the
estimated dust redshift of z=0.88+/-0.02 is in good agreement with the
spectroscopic redshift of the lens galaxy. The widespread assumption
that SMC extinction curves are more appropriate models for cosmological
dust may be incorrect.