paper

Constraints on the Inner Mass Profiles of Lensing Galaxies from Missing Odd Images

arXiv:astro-ph/0009079 · doi:10.1086/319129

Abstract

Most gravitational lens systems consist of two or four observable images. The absence of detectable odd images allows us to place a lower limit on the power-law slope of the inner mass profile of lensing galaxies. Using a sample of six two-image radio-loud lens systems and assuming a singular power-law surface density (Sigma proportional to r^{-beta}) for the inner several kpc of the mass distribution, we find that there is less than a 10% probability that the data are consistent with profile slopes beta < 0.80. Furthermore, individual mass modeling yields beta > 0.85 for B0739+366 and beta > 0.91 for B1030+074. Modeling central black holes as additional point masses changes the constraints in these systems to beta > 0.84 and beta > 0.83, respectively. The inner mass profiles of lensing galaxies are therefore not much shallower than isothermal.

Final published version, minor typos corrected, 13 pages

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