http://arxiv.org/abs/2305.14317
We report the discovery of COOL J0335$-$1927, a quasar at $z$ = 3.27 lensed into three images with a maximum separation of 23.3″ by a galaxy cluster at $z$ = 0.4178. We construct a parametric strong gravitational lens model using ground-based imaging, constrained by the redshift and positions of the quasar images as well as the positions of three other multiply-imaged background galaxies. Using our best-fit lens model, we calculate the predicted time delays between the three quasar images to be $\Delta$t${AB}=$ $241^{+41}{-12}$ and $\Delta$t${AC}=$ $-64^{+3}{-33}$ days. We also present g-band photometry from archival DECaLS imaging, and new multi-epoch observations obtained between September 18, 2022 UT and February 22, 2023 UT, which demonstrate significant variability in the quasar and which will eventually enable a measurement of the time delay between the three quasar images.
K. Napier, M. Gladders, K. Sharon, et. al.
Wed, 24 May 23
81/81
Comments: 8 pages, 4 figures, 1 table