Constraining (Ω_m,Ω_λ) from strong lensing

G. Golse, J. -P. Kneib, G. Soucail

Published 2000-07-12Version 1

The knowledge of the redshift of multiple images in cluster-lenses allows to determine precisely the total projected mass within the Einstein radius. The observation of various multiple images in a same cluster is opening new possibilities to constrain the curvature of the universe. Indeed, although the influence of $\Omega_m$ and $\Omega_\lambda$ on the images formation is of the second order, observations of many multiple images at different redshifts formed by a regular cluster-lens should allow to constrain very accurately the mass distribution of the cluster and to start to be sensitive to the cosmological parameters entering the diameter angular distances. We present, analytical expressions and numerical simulations that allow us to compute the expected error bars on the cosmological parameters provided an HST/WFPC2 resolution image and spectroscopic redshifts for the multiple images. Numerical tests on simulated data confirm the rather small uncertainties we could obtain this way for the two popular cosmological world models: $\Omega_m=0.3{\pm 0.24}$, $\Omega_\lambda=0.7{\pm 0.5}$ or $\Omega_m=1.{\pm 0.33}$, $\Omega_\lambda=0.{\pm 1.2}$.