2002/06/20 by Yu. V. Baryshev, Yu. L. Bukhmastova
Physics and Astronomy · #astro-ph
published as Astron.Rep. 41 (1997) 436 · 18 pages, 12 figures
arxiv created 2002/06/20 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01
The probability of strong gravitational lensing of distant compact objects by transparent lenses with King mass distributions is calculated. Examples of such lenses are globular clusters, dwarf galaxies, and clusters of hidden mass. The lens masses thus range from 103 to 109 Solar mass, intermediate between stellar and galactic masses. Taking account of the conic caustic of King lenses and the fractal large-scale distribution of matter along the line of sight, it is possible to explain the correlation between quasars and galaxies as the effect of strong gravitational lensing of the active nuclei of distant galaxies by globular clusters in the halos of nearby galaxies. Observational tests for verifing this mesolensing hypothesis are described.