The nature and size of the optical continuum source in QSO 2237+0305

Abstract

From the peak of a gravitational microlensing high-magnification event in the A component of QSO 2237+0305, which was accurately monitored by the GLITP collaboration, we derived new information on the nature and size of the optical V-band and R-band sources in the far quasar. If the microlensing peak is caused by a microcaustic crossing, we firstly obtained that the standard accretion disk is a scenario more reliable/feasible than other usual axially symmetric models. Moreover, the standard scenario fits both the V-band and R-band observations with reduced chi-square values very close to one. Taking into account all these results, a standard accretion disk around a supermassive black hole is a good candidate to be the optical continuum main source in QSO 2237+0305. Secondly, using the standard source model and a robust upper limit on the transverse galactic velocity, we inferred that 90 per cent of the V-band and R-band luminosities are emitted from a region with radial size less than 1.2 10^{-2} pc (= 3.7 10^{16} cm, at 2*sigma confidence level).

ApJ, in press (LaTeX, 28 pages, 6 eps figures)

References in corpus (4)

• Evidence for a source size of less than 2000 AU in Quasar 2237+0305
• QSO 2237+0305 VR light curves from Gravitational Lenses International Time Project optical monitoring
• Gravitational Microlensing Near Caustics I: Folds
• Caustic Crossing in the Gravitational Lens Q2237+0305

Cited by in corpus (30)

• Quantitative Interpretation of Quasar Microlensing Light Curves
• Size is Everything: Universal Features of Quasar Microlensing with Extended Sources
• Microlensing-Based Estimate of the Mass Fraction in Compact Objects in Lens
• The Structure of the X-ray and Optical Emitting Regions of the Lensed Quasar Q 2237+0305
• The multiple quasar Q2237+0305 under a microlensing caustic
• Characteristic QSO Accretion Disk Temperatures from Spectroscopic Continuum Variability
• Disentangling microlensing and differential extinction in the double QSO HE0512-3329
• An accretion disc model for quasar optical variability
• A microlensing measurement of the size of the broad emission line region in the lensed QSO 2237+0305
• Detection of chromatic microlensing in Q 2237+0305 A
• Microlensing of a Biconical Broad Line Region
• Determination of the properties of the central engine in microlensed QSOs
• New database for a sample of optically bright lensed quasars in the northern hemisphere
• GERLUMPH Data Release 2: 2.5 billion simulated microlensing light curves
• Interpreting microlensing signal in QSO 2237+0305: Stars or planets?
• Gravitational lens system SDSS J1339+1310: microlensing factory and time delay
• Resolving the Innermost Region of the Accretion Disk of the Lensed Quasar Q 2237+0305 through Gravitational Microlensing
• Limits on the Transverse Velocity of the Lensing Galaxy in Q2237+0305 from the Lack of Strong Microlensing Variability
• Is there a caustic crossing in the lensed quasar Q2237+0305 observational data record?
• Q2237+0305 source structure and dimensions from light curves simulation
• Asymptotic Expansions and Amplification of a Gravitational Lens Near a Fold Caustic
• New VR magnification ratios of QSO 0957+561
• Liverpool-Maidanak monitoring of the Einstein Cross in 2006$-$2019. I. Light curves in the $gVrRI$ optical bands and microlensing signatures
• Q2237+0305 in X-rays: spectra and variability with XMM-Newton
• Gravitational Lens System PS J0147+4630 (Andromeda's Parachute): Main Lensing Galaxy and Optical Variability of the Quasar Images
• QSO size ratios from multiband monitoring of a microlensing high-magnification event
• Structure function of the UV variability of Q0957+561
• Probing Sub-parsec Structure in the Lyman Alpha Forest with Gravitational Microlensing
• Gravitationally lensed QSOs in the ISSIS/WSO-UV era
• Time-domain studies of gravitationally lensed quasars (GLQs)