Open AccessCLASS B2108+213: a new wide‐separation gravitational lens system
Author(s) -
McKean J. P.,
Browne I. W. A.,
Jackson N. J.,
Koopmans L. V. E.,
Norbury M. A.,
Treu T.,
York T. D.,
Biggs A. D.,
Blandford R. D.,
De Bruyn A. G.,
Fassnacht C. D.,
Mao S.,
Myers S. T.,
Pearson T. J.,
Phillips P. M.,
Readhead A. C. S.,
Rusin D.,
Wilkinson P. N.
Publication year - 2005
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 - 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.08516.x
Subject(s) - physics , gravitational lens , astrophysics , einstein radius , galaxy , strong gravitational lensing , astronomy , lens (geology) , weak gravitational lensing , einstein ring , sky , redshift , optics
We present observations of CLASS B2108+213, the widest separation gravitational lens system discovered by the Cosmic Lens All‐Sky Survey. Radio imaging using the VLA at 8.46 GHz and MERLIN at 5 GHz shows two compact components separated by 4.56 arcsec with a faint third component in between which we believe is emission from a lensing galaxy. 5‐GHz VLBA observations reveal milliarcsecond‐scale structure in the two lensed images that is consistent with gravitational lensing. Optical emission from the two lensed images and two lensing galaxies within the Einstein radius is detected in Hubble Space Telescope imaging. Furthermore, an optical gravitational arc, associated with the strongest lensed component, has been detected. Surrounding the system is a number of faint galaxies which may help explain the wide image separation. A plausible mass distribution model for CLASS B2108+213 is also presented.