1999/09/01 by Geraint F. Lewis, R. M. Robb, Russell M. Robb +2 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/316470
17 pages, with 2 figures. Accepted for publication in P.A.S.P
arxiv created 1999/09/01 · openalex publication_date 1999/12/01 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2020/11/23 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
We report on 1 year of photometric monitoring of the ultraluminous broad absorption line quasar APM 08279+5255. The temporal sampling reveals that this gravitationally lensed system has brightened by ∼0.2 mag in 100 days. Two potential causes present themselves: either the variability is intrinsic to the quasar, or it is the result of microlensing by stars in a foreground system. The data are consistent with both hypotheses, and further monitoring is required before either case can be conclusively confirmed. We demonstrate, however, that gravitational microlensing cannot play a dominant role in explaining the phenomenal properties exhibited by APM 08279+5255. The identification of intrinsic variability, coupled with the simple gravitational lensing configuration, would suggest that APM 08279+5255 is a potential "golden lens" from which the cosmological parameters can be derived and is worthy of a monitoring program at high spatial resolution.