Gravitational microlensing of gamma-ray blazars

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningfagfællebedømt

We present a detailed study of the effects of gravitational microlensing on compact and distant $\gamma$-ray blazars. These objects have $\gamma$-ray emitting regions which are small enough as to be affected by microlensing effects produced by stars lying in intermediate galaxies. We analyze the temporal evolution of the gamma-ray magnification for sources moving in a caustic pattern field, where the combined effects of thousands of stars are taken into account using a numerical technique. We propose that some of the unidentified $\gamma$-ray sources (particularly some of those lying at high galactic latitude whose gamma-ray statistical properties are very similar to detected $\gamma$-ray blazars) are indeed the result of gravitational lensing magnification of background undetected Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs).
OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Vol/bind399
Udgave nummer2
Sider (fra-til)335-352
Antal sider17
ISSN0035-8711
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 12 feb. 2003

ID: 34382970