Gravitational lenses in arbitrary space-times

Abstract

The precision reached by current and forthcoming strong-lensing observations requires to accurately model various perturbations to the main deflector. Hitherto, theoretical models have been developed to account for either cosmological line-of-sight perturbations, or isolated secondary lenses via the multi-plane lensing framework. This article proposes a general formalism to describe multiple lenses within an arbitrary space-time background. The lens equation, and the expressions of the amplification and time delays, are rigorously derived in that framework. Our results may be applied to a wide range of set-ups, from strong lensing in anisotropic cosmologies, to line-of-sight perturbations beyond the tidal regime.

arXiv comment23+6 pages, 9 figures; v3: enriched sec. 2, matches the version published in Classical and Quantum Gravity, except the addition of an important reference (Schneider 2019); v4: minor typos corrected

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Cited by in corpus (11)

• Line-of-sight effects in strong gravitational lensing
• The Hubble constant from strongly lensed supernovae with standardizable magnifications
• TDCOSMO VIII: Cosmological distance measurements in light of the mass-sheet degeneracy -- forecasts from strong lensing and IFU stellar kinematics
• Cosmic backreaction and the mean redshift drift from symbolic regression
• Measuring line-of-sight shear with Einstein rings: a proof of concept
• Much ado about no offset -- Characterising the anomalous multiple-image configuration and the model-driven displacement between light and mass in the multi-plane strong lens Abell 3827
• Generalised model-independent characterisation of strong gravitational lenses VIII. automated multi-band feature detection to constrain local lens properties
• Unveiling the Universe with Emerging Cosmological Probes
• Peculiar velocity effects on the Hubble constant from time-delay cosmography
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