Constraints on the Abundance of Primordial Black Holes from X-Ray Quasar Microlensing Observations: Substellar to Planetary Mass Range
We use X-ray observations of quasar microlensing (sensitive to smaller compact objects than in the optical) to study the possible presence of a population of low mass black holes (BHs; from ∼10 ^−3 M _⊙ to 10 ^−1 M _⊙ ) in lens galaxies. We compare these observations with microlensing magnification...
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IOP Publishing
2023-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ace62f |
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| author | A. Esteban-Gutiérrez E. Mediavilla J. Jiménez-Vicente J. A. Muñoz |
| author_facet | A. Esteban-Gutiérrez E. Mediavilla J. Jiménez-Vicente J. A. Muñoz |
| author_sort | A. Esteban-Gutiérrez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We use X-ray observations of quasar microlensing (sensitive to smaller compact objects than in the optical) to study the possible presence of a population of low mass black holes (BHs; from ∼10 ^−3 M _⊙ to 10 ^−1 M _⊙ ) in lens galaxies. We compare these observations with microlensing magnification simulations of a mixed population of stars and BHs plus a smooth matter component. We estimate the individual mass fractions of both stars and BHs for three different BH masses in the range of substellar to planetary masses. Our Bayesian analysis indicates that the contribution of BHs is negligible in the substellar mass range but that a population of BHs of planetary mass ( M ≲ 10 ^−3 M _⊙ ) could pass unnoticed to X-ray microlensing. We provide new upper limits to the contribution of BHs to the fraction of dark matter based on both, the quasar microlensing data in the X-ray band, and our previous estimates in the optical of intermediate-mass BHs with an additional upper limit at M = 3 M _⊙ . |
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| id | doaj.art-5c6cf6a742d8487ab8842620a4f1a1ea |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1538-4357 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T02:25:57Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-5c6cf6a742d8487ab8842620a4f1a1ea2023-09-05T12:08:09ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572023-01-01954217210.3847/1538-4357/ace62fConstraints on the Abundance of Primordial Black Holes from X-Ray Quasar Microlensing Observations: Substellar to Planetary Mass RangeA. Esteban-Gutiérrez0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9329-0139E. Mediavilla1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1989-6292J. Jiménez-Vicente2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7798-3453J. A. Muñoz3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9833-2959Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias , Vía Láctea S/N, E-38205 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain; Departamento de Astrofísica, Universidad de la Laguna , E-38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, SpainInstituto de Astrofísica de Canarias , Vía Láctea S/N, E-38205 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain; Departamento de Astrofísica, Universidad de la Laguna , E-38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, SpainDepartamento de Física Teórica y del Cosmos, Universidad de Granada , Campus de Fuentenueva, E-18071 Granada, Spain; Instituto Carlos I de Física Teórica y Computacional, Universidad de Granada , E-18071 Granada, SpainDepartamento de Astronomía y Astrofísica, Universidad de Valencia , E-46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain; Observatorio Astronómico, Universidad de Valencia , E-46980 Paterna, Valencia, SpainWe use X-ray observations of quasar microlensing (sensitive to smaller compact objects than in the optical) to study the possible presence of a population of low mass black holes (BHs; from ∼10 ^−3 M _⊙ to 10 ^−1 M _⊙ ) in lens galaxies. We compare these observations with microlensing magnification simulations of a mixed population of stars and BHs plus a smooth matter component. We estimate the individual mass fractions of both stars and BHs for three different BH masses in the range of substellar to planetary masses. Our Bayesian analysis indicates that the contribution of BHs is negligible in the substellar mass range but that a population of BHs of planetary mass ( M ≲ 10 ^−3 M _⊙ ) could pass unnoticed to X-ray microlensing. We provide new upper limits to the contribution of BHs to the fraction of dark matter based on both, the quasar microlensing data in the X-ray band, and our previous estimates in the optical of intermediate-mass BHs with an additional upper limit at M = 3 M _⊙ .https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ace62fGravitational lensingGravitational microlensingQuasar microlensingX-ray quasarsPrimordial black holesDark matter |
| spellingShingle | A. Esteban-Gutiérrez E. Mediavilla J. Jiménez-Vicente J. A. Muñoz Constraints on the Abundance of Primordial Black Holes from X-Ray Quasar Microlensing Observations: Substellar to Planetary Mass Range The Astrophysical Journal Gravitational lensing Gravitational microlensing Quasar microlensing X-ray quasars Primordial black holes Dark matter |
| title | Constraints on the Abundance of Primordial Black Holes from X-Ray Quasar Microlensing Observations: Substellar to Planetary Mass Range |
| title_full | Constraints on the Abundance of Primordial Black Holes from X-Ray Quasar Microlensing Observations: Substellar to Planetary Mass Range |
| title_fullStr | Constraints on the Abundance of Primordial Black Holes from X-Ray Quasar Microlensing Observations: Substellar to Planetary Mass Range |
| title_full_unstemmed | Constraints on the Abundance of Primordial Black Holes from X-Ray Quasar Microlensing Observations: Substellar to Planetary Mass Range |
| title_short | Constraints on the Abundance of Primordial Black Holes from X-Ray Quasar Microlensing Observations: Substellar to Planetary Mass Range |
| title_sort | constraints on the abundance of primordial black holes from x ray quasar microlensing observations substellar to planetary mass range |
| topic | Gravitational lensing Gravitational microlensing Quasar microlensing X-ray quasars Primordial black holes Dark matter |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ace62f |
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