Open AccessGlobular clusters as microlensing targets
Author(s) -
Gyuk Geza,
Holder Gilbert P.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.1998.01718.x
Subject(s) - gravitational microlensing , globular cluster , physics , halo , astrophysics , astronomy , radius , exponent , stars , galaxy , linguistics , philosophy , computer security , computer science
We investigate the possibility of using globular clusters as targets for microlensing searches. Such searches will be challenging and require more powerful telescopes than now employed, but are feasible in the near future. Although expected event rates are low, we show that the wide variety of lines of sight to globular clusters greatly enhances the ability to distinguish between halo models using microlensing observations as compared with LMC/SMC observations alone. In particular, the halo core radius and power‐law exponent can be determined with good accuracy.