Quasar Microlensing in the Era of Large Synoptic Surveys

Quasar Microlensing in the Era of Large Synoptic Surveys

Quasar microlensing refers to the uncorrelated, dynamical brightness fluctuations observed in the multiple images of lensed quasars, caused by the passage of compact objects within the lensing galaxies across the line of sight. This phenomenon is ubiquitous, appearing in nearly all gravitationally lensed systems to varying degrees. In a typical lensing scenario, the projected Einstein radii of stars in the foreground galaxy closely match the physical scales of the background Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN), providing a natural telescope of unprecedented resolution. In this presentation, I will review the phenomenon and its utility as a unique probe for investigating the inner architecture of high-redshift quasars. I will present the current results and discuss the future prospects within the landscape of current and next-generation large-area surveys, such as Rubin’s LSST.

Sebastián López
Colloquium  Coordinator
DAS/UChile  – slopez@das.uchile.cl