Open AccessOn bending angles by gravitational lenses in motion
Author(s) -
Frittelli Simonetta
Publication year - 2003
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.1365-8711.2003.06302.x
Subject(s) - physics , gravitational lens , gravitational microlensing , observer (physics) , gravitational field , lens (geology) , redshift , bending , gravitation , optics , astrophysics , classical mechanics , stars , quantum mechanics , galaxy , thermodynamics
The bending of light rays by the gravitational field of a ‘lens’ that is moving relative to the observer is calculated within the approximation of weak fields, small angles and thin lenses. Up to first order in v / c (and assuming the acceleration to be much smaller than v / c ), the bending angle, time delay and redshift of the images are found to be affected by the component of the speed of the deflector along the line of sight. The correction takes the form of an overall factor of 1 + v / c accompanying the mass of the deflector, leading to an indeterminacy of the order of v / c in the mass of the lens inferred on the basis of the separation of multiple images. The consequent correction to the microlensing light curve is pointed out, as well as scenarios where the correction is potentially relevant.