Simulation of a strategy for the pixel lensing of M87 using the Hubble Space Telescope

Abstract

In this work, we propose a new strategy for the pixel-lensing observation of M87 in the Virgo cluster using the {\it Hubble Space Telescope} (HST). In contrast to the previous observational strategy by Baltz et al., we show that a few days intensive observation with the duration of $\sim 90$min in each HST orbit will increase the observational efficiency of the high-magnification events by more than one order of magnitude. We perform a Monte-Carlo simulation for this strategy and we show that the number of high magnification microlensing events will increase at the rate of 4.2 event per day with a typical transit time scale of 16 h. We also examine the possibility of observing mini-halo dark matter structures using pixel lensing.

8 pages, 9 figures, accepted in MNRAS

References in corpus (7)

• The Black Hole Mass, Stellar M/L, and Dark Halo in M87
• The velocity dispersion and mass profile of the Milky Way
• The survival and disruption of CDM micro-haloes: implications for direct and indirect detection experiments
• Recovering the star formation rate in the solar neighborhood
• Microlensing as a probe of the Galactic structure; 20 years of microlensing optical depth studies
• Astrometric Microlensing by Local Dark Matter Subhalos
• Discovery of thirteen novae candidates in M87

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