Cosmic string loop microlensing
Author(s)
Chernoff, David F.; Bloomfield, Jolyon
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Cosmic superstring loops within the galaxy microlens background point sources lying close to the observer-string line of sight. For suitable alignments, multiple paths coexist and the (achromatic) flux enhancement is a factor of two. We explore this unique type of lensing by numerically solving for geodesics that extend from source to observer as they pass near an oscillating string. We characterize the duration of the flux doubling and the scale of the image splitting. We probe and confirm the existence of a variety of fundamental effects predicted from previous analyses of the static infinite straight string: the deficit angle, the Kaiser-Stebbins effect, and the scale of the impact parameter required to produce microlensing. Our quantitative results for dynamical loops vary by O(1) factors with respect to estimates based on infinite straight strings for a given impact parameter. A number of new features are identified in the computed microlensing solutions. Our results suggest that optical microlensing can offer a new and potentially powerful methodology for searches for superstring loop relics of the inflationary era.
Date issued
2014-06Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics; MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space ResearchJournal
Physical Review D
Publisher
American Physical Society
Citation
Bloomfield, Jolyon K., and David F. Chernoff. "Cosmic string loop microlensing." Phys. Rev. D 89 (June 2014), 124003. © 2014 American Physical Society
Version: Final published version
ISSN
1550-7998
1550-2368