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arXiv 0908.0602astro-ph.CO
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通过强引力透镜效应直接观测宇宙弦:II。来自HST/ACS图像档案的结果

Direct Observation of Cosmic Strings via their Strong Gravitational Lensing Effect: II. Results from the HST/ACS Image Archive

Eric Morganson, Phil Marshall, Tommaso Treu, Tim Schrabback, Roger D. Blandford

摘要:

我们已经搜索了4.5平方度的HST/ACS档案图像,寻找宇宙弦,识别出相似的、微弱的星系对,并选择了那些排列与引力透镜一致的星系群。我们在五次大面积的HST财政调查(覆盖总面积为2.22平方度)中没有发现宇宙弦的证据,或者在346张多过滤器的客座观察者图像(1.18平方度)中没有发现宇宙弦的证据。假设模拟精确地预测了宇宙中宇宙弦的数量,这种未探测到的情况使我们能够在95%的置信水平下(在每种情况下,相对于另一个参数,边缘化)将无单位的普适宇宙弦张力的上限定为G μ/c^2 < 2.3 x 10^-6,宇宙弦密度的上限定为Omega_s < 2.1 x 10^-5。我们在318张单过滤器访客观测者图像(1.08平方度)中发现了四个可疑的宇宙弦候选者,我们无法用现有数据最终消除它们。这些候选者中的任何一个被确认为宇宙弦都意味着G μ/c^2 ~ 10^-6和Ω_s ~ 10^-5。然而,我们估计至少有92%的机会,这些字符串候选人是随机排列的星系。如果我们假设这些候选者确实是错误的检测,那么我们对G μ/c^2和Ω_s的最终限制将降到6.5 x 10^-7和7.3 x 10^-6。由于HST/ACS图像存档的天空覆盖范围很广,因此上述限制是通用的。它们对搜索的字段数量非常敏感,并且可以使用即将到来的HST数据进一步减少两倍以上。

英文摘要:

We have searched 4.5 square degrees of archival HST/ACS images for cosmic strings, identifying close pairs of similar, faint galaxies and selecting groups whose alignment is consistent with gravitational lensing by a long, straight string. We find no evidence for cosmic strings in five large-area HST treasury surveys (covering a total of 2.22 square degrees), or in any of 346 multi-filter guest observer images (1.18 square degrees). Assuming that simulations ccurately predict the number of cosmic strings in the universe, this non-detection allows us to place upper limits on the unitless Universal cosmic string tension of G mu/c^2 < 2.3 x 10^-6, and cosmic string density of Omega_s < 2.1 x 10^-5 at the 95% confidence level (marginalising over the other parameter in each case). We find four dubious cosmic string candidates in 318 single filter guest observer images (1.08 square degrees), which we are unable to conclusively eliminate with existing data. The confirmation of any one of these candidates as cosmic strings would imply G mu/c^2 ~ 10^-6 and Omega_s ~ 10^-5. However, we estimate that there is at least a 92% chance that these string candidates are random alignments of galaxies. If we assume that these candidates are indeed false detections, our final limits on G mu/c^2 and Omega_s fall to 6.5 x 10^-7 and 7.3 x 10^-6. Due to the extensive sky coverage of the HST/ACS image archive, the above limits are universal. They are quite sensitive to the number of fields being searched, and could be further reduced by more than a factor of two using forthcoming HST data.

机构、总结、中文摘要均由AI分析而来,可能存在错误,请以论文正文为准。

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