2002/05/23 by C. Abajas, E. Mediavilla, J. A. Munoz +3 · 6 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Emission spectrum #Gravitational lens #Gravitational microlensing #Light curve #Line (geometry) #Microlens #QSOS #Quasar #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/341793
published as Astrophys.J. 576 (2002) 640-652 · 41 pages including 20 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ
arxiv created 2002/05/23 · openalex publication_date 2002/09/10 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We discuss the effects of microlensing on the broad emission lines (BELs) of QSOs in the light of recent determinations of the size of the broad-line region (BLR) and its scaling with QSO luminosity. Microlensing by star-sized objects can produce significant amplifications in the BEL of some multiple-imaged QSOs, and could be very relevant for high-ionization lines. We have identified a group of 10 gravitational lens systems (~30% of the selected sample) in which microlensing could be observed. Using standard kinematic models for active galactic nuclei, we have studied the changes induced in the line profile by a microlens located at different positions with respect to the center of the BLR. We found that microlensing could produce important effects such as the relative enhancement of different parts of the line profile or the displacement of the peak of the line. The study of BEL profiles of different ionization in a microlensed QSO image could be an alternative method for probing the BLR structure and size.