Galaxy-Galaxy weak gravitational lensing in clusterenvironment

[摘要] An investigation was carried out into the phenomenon of galaxy-galaxy weak lensing in a sample of 10 X-ray selected galaxy clusters. Using high resolution Hubble Space Telescope imaging data and mathematical techniques described within, the feasibility of detecting a galaxy-galaxy shear signal was demonstrated. A study was then carried out to assess the magnitude of the systematic e�ect of improper cluster-scale shear signal subtraction that had previously not been explicitly tested. It was found that the systematic e�ect was negligible compared to the shear signal of interest in all but one fairly extreme case. This is of interest to future studies in this �eld as it avoids the need for time-expensive detailedcluster models to be made before the relevant data can be extracted. The investigation also details the process of designing telescope masks for two world-leading spectroscopic instruments. Such observations are key in obtaining redshift constraints on strongly lensed arcs allowing normalisation of the cluster mass distribution and therefore determination of cluster masses.

[发布机构] University:University of Birmingham;Department:School of Physics and Astronomy

[关键词] Q Science;QB Astronomy