Imaging with a gravitational lens: the geometric view

Abstract

We investigate imaging point sources with a monopole gravitational lens, such as the Solar Gravitational Lens in the geometric optics limit. We compute the light amplification of the lens used in conjunction with a telescope featuring a circular aperture that is placed in the focal region of the lens, compared to the amount of light collected by the same telescope unaided by a gravitational lens. We recover an averaged point-spread function that is in robust agreement with a wave-theoretical description of the lens, and can be used in practical calculations or simulations.

arXiv comment6 pages, 6 figures, final submitted version after referee comments

References in corpus (5)

• Diffraction of electromagnetic waves in the gravitational field of the Sun
• Image formation for extended sources with the solar gravitational lens
• Imaging extended sources with the solar gravitational lens
• Diffraction of electromagnetic waves by an extended gravitational lens
• Photometric imaging with the solar gravitational lens

Cited by in corpus (2)

• Non-coplanar gravitational lenses and the "communication bridge"
• Peeking under the clouds: Is exoplanet imaging with the solar gravitational lens feasible?