Cosmic string loop microlensing
Cosmic superstring loops within the galaxy microlens background point sources lying close to the observer-string line of sight. For suitable alignments, multiple paths coexist and the (achromatic) flux enhancement is a factor of two. We explore this unique type of lensing by numerically solving for...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Physical Society
2014
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/88653 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7000-6569 |
| _version_ | 1811098253533380608 |
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| author | Chernoff, David F. Bloomfield, Jolyon |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics Chernoff, David F. Bloomfield, Jolyon |
| author_sort | Chernoff, David F. |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Cosmic superstring loops within the galaxy microlens background point sources lying close to the observer-string line of sight. For suitable alignments, multiple paths coexist and the (achromatic) flux enhancement is a factor of two. We explore this unique type of lensing by numerically solving for geodesics that extend from source to observer as they pass near an oscillating string. We characterize the duration of the flux doubling and the scale of the image splitting. We probe and confirm the existence of a variety of fundamental effects predicted from previous analyses of the static infinite straight string: the deficit angle, the Kaiser-Stebbins effect, and the scale of the impact parameter required to produce microlensing. Our quantitative results for dynamical loops vary by O(1) factors with respect to estimates based on infinite straight strings for a given impact parameter. A number of new features are identified in the computed microlensing solutions. Our results suggest that optical microlensing can offer a new and potentially powerful methodology for searches for superstring loop relics of the inflationary era. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T17:12:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/88653 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T17:12:23Z |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publisher | American Physical Society |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/886532022-10-03T11:05:51Z Cosmic string loop microlensing Chernoff, David F. Bloomfield, Jolyon Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research Bloomfield, Jolyon Cosmic superstring loops within the galaxy microlens background point sources lying close to the observer-string line of sight. For suitable alignments, multiple paths coexist and the (achromatic) flux enhancement is a factor of two. We explore this unique type of lensing by numerically solving for geodesics that extend from source to observer as they pass near an oscillating string. We characterize the duration of the flux doubling and the scale of the image splitting. We probe and confirm the existence of a variety of fundamental effects predicted from previous analyses of the static infinite straight string: the deficit angle, the Kaiser-Stebbins effect, and the scale of the impact parameter required to produce microlensing. Our quantitative results for dynamical loops vary by O(1) factors with respect to estimates based on infinite straight strings for a given impact parameter. A number of new features are identified in the computed microlensing solutions. Our results suggest that optical microlensing can offer a new and potentially powerful methodology for searches for superstring loop relics of the inflationary era. Templeton Foundation (University of Chicago 37426-Cornell FP050136-B) 2014-08-11T13:54:35Z 2014-08-11T13:54:35Z 2014-06 2014-03 2014-07-23T20:48:08Z Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 1550-7998 1550-2368 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/88653 Bloomfield, Jolyon K., and David F. Chernoff. "Cosmic string loop microlensing." Phys. Rev. D 89 (June 2014), 124003. © 2014 American Physical Society https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7000-6569 en http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.89.124003 Physical Review D Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. American Physical Society application/pdf American Physical Society American Physical Society |
| spellingShingle | Chernoff, David F. Bloomfield, Jolyon Cosmic string loop microlensing |
| title | Cosmic string loop microlensing |
| title_full | Cosmic string loop microlensing |
| title_fullStr | Cosmic string loop microlensing |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cosmic string loop microlensing |
| title_short | Cosmic string loop microlensing |
| title_sort | cosmic string loop microlensing |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/88653 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7000-6569 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT chernoffdavidf cosmicstringloopmicrolensing AT bloomfieldjolyon cosmicstringloopmicrolensing |