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First Resolution of Microlensed Images of a Binary-lens Event
- Source :
- The Astrophysical Journal, Vol 977, Iss 2, p 229 (2024)
- Publication Year :
- 2024
- Publisher :
- IOP Publishing, 2024.
-
Abstract
- We resolve the multiple images of the binary-lens microlensing event ASASSN-22av using the GRAVITY instrument of the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI). The light curves show weak binary-lens perturbations, complicating the analysis, but the joint modeling with the VLTI data breaks several degeneracies, arriving at a strongly favored solution. Thanks to precise measurements of the angular Einstein radius θ _E = 0.724 ± 0.002 mas and microlens parallax, we determine that the lens system consists of two M dwarfs with masses of M _1 = 0.258 ± 0.008 M _⊙ and M _2 = 0.130 ± 0.007 M _⊙ , a projected separation of r _⊥ = 6.83 ± 0.31 au, and a distance of D _L = 2.29 ± 0.08 kpc. The successful VLTI observations of ASASSN-22av open up a new path for studying intermediate-separation (i.e., a few astronomical units) stellar-mass binaries, including those containing dark compact objects such as neutron stars and stellar-mass black holes.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 15384357
- Volume :
- 977
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- Directory of Open Access Journals
- Journal :
- The Astrophysical Journal
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- edsdoj.169c4efbcd4751ad64e77ba5835a2f
- Document Type :
- article
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad90b9