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Through observational tests of strong lensing galaxy clusters, we can test simulation derived structure predictions that follow from Λ Cold Dark Matter (ΛCDM) cosmology. The shape and centroid deviations between the total matter distribution, stellar matter distributions, and hot intracluster gas distribution serve as an observational test of these theoretical structure predictions. We measure the position angles, ellipticities, and locations/centroids of the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG), intracluster light (ICL). the hot intracluster medium (ICM), and the core lensing mass for a sample of strong lensing galaxy clusters from the SDSS Giant Arcs Survey (SGAS). We utilize HST WFC3/1R imaging data to measure the shapes/centroids of the ICL and BCG distributions and use Chandra ACIS-I X-ray data to measure the shapes/centroids of the ICM. Additionally, we measure the concentration parameter (c) and asymmetry parameter (A) to incorporate cluster dynamical state into our analysis. Using this multicomponent approach, we evaluate the different components in terms of their ability to trace out the DM halo of clusters in various dynamical states.

With two central galaxies engaged in a major merger and a remarkable chain of 19 young stellar superclusters wound around them in projection, the galaxy cluster SDSS J1531+3414 (z = 0.335) offers an excellent laboratory to study the interplay between mergers, active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback, and star formation. New Chandra X-ray imaging reveals rapidly cooling hot (T ∼ 106 K) intracluster gas, with two "wings" forming a concave density discontinuity near the edge of the cool core. LOFAR 144 MHz observations uncover diffuse radio emission strikingly aligned with the "wings," suggesting that the "wings" are actually the opening to a giant X-ray supercavity. The steep radio emission is likely an ancient relic of one of the most energetic AGN outbursts observed, with 4 pV > 1061 erg. To the north of the supercavity, GMOS detects warm (T ∼ 104 K) ionized gas that enshrouds the stellar superclusters but is redshifted up to +800 km s−1 with respect to the southern central galaxy. The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array detects a similarly redshifted ∼1010 M ⊙ reservoir of cold (T ∼ 102 K) molecular gas, but it is offset from the young stars by ∼1–3 kpc. We propose that the multiphase gas originated from low-entropy gas entrained by the X-ray supercavity, attribute the offset between the young stars and the molecular gas to turbulent intracluster gas motions, and suggest that tidal interactions stimulated the "beads-on-a-string" star formation morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the spatially resolved measurements of a cool galactic outflow in the gravitationally lensed galaxy RCS0327 at z ≈ 1.703 using VLT/MUSE IFU observations. We probe the cool outflowing gas, traced by blueshifted Mg  ii and Fe  ii absorption lines, in 15 distinct regions of the same galaxy in its image-plane. Different physical regions, 5 – 7 kpc apart within the galaxy, drive the outflows at different velocities (V out ∼ −161 to −240 km s−1), and mass outflow rates (⁠|$\dot{M}_{out} \sim 183$| – 527  |${\rm M}_{\odot }\, \mathrm{yr}^{-1}$|⁠). The outflow velocities from different regions of the same galaxy vary by 80 km s−1, which is comparable to the variation seen in a large sample of star-burst galaxies in the local universe. Using multiply lensed images of RCS0327, we probe the same star-forming region at different spatial scales (0.5–25 kpc2), we find that outflow velocities vary between ∼ −120 and −242 km s−1, and the mass outflow rates vary between ∼37 and 254 |${\rm M}_{\odot }\, \mathrm{yr}^{-1}$|⁠. The outflow momentum flux in this galaxy is ≥ 100% of the momentum flux provided by star formation in individual regions, and outflow energy flux is ≈ 10% of the total energy flux provided by star formation. These estimates suggest that the outflow in RCS0327 is energy driven. This work shows the importance of small scale variations of outflow properties due to the variations of local stellar properties of the host galaxy in the context of galaxy evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the discovery of the most distant, dynamically relaxed cool core cluster, SPT-CL J2215−3537 (SPT2215), and its central brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) at z = 1.16. Using new X-ray observations, we demonstrate that SPT2215 harbors a strong cool core with a central cooling time of 200 Myr (at 10 kpc) and a maximal intracluster medium cooling rate of 1900 ± 400 M ⊙ yr−1. This prodigious cooling may be responsible for fueling the extended, star-forming filaments observed in Hubble Space Telescope imaging. Based on new spectrophotometric data, we detect bright [O ii ] emission in the BCG, implying an unobscured star formation rate (SFR) of 320 − 140 + 230 M ⊙ yr−1. The detection of a weak radio source (2.0 ± 0.8 mJy at 0.8 GHz) suggests ongoing feedback from an active galactic nucleus (AGN), though the implied jet power is less than half the cooling luminosity of the hot gas, consistent with cooling overpowering heating. The extreme cooling and SFR of SPT2215 are rare among known cool core clusters, and it is even more remarkable that we observe these at such high redshift, when most clusters are still dynamically disturbed. The high mass of this cluster, coupled with the fact that it is dynamically relaxed with a highly isolated BCG, suggests that it is an exceptionally rare system that must have formed very rapidly in the early universe. Combined with the high SFR, SPT2215 may be a high- z analog of the Phoenix cluster, potentially providing insight into the limits of AGN feedback and star formation in the most massive galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strong lensing galaxy clusters provide a powerful observational test of Cold Dark Matter (CDM) structure predictions derived from simulation. Specifically, the shape and relative alignments of the dark matter halo, stars, and hot intracluster gas tells us the extent to which theoretical structure predictions hold for clusters in various dynamical states. We measure the position angles, ellipticities, and locations/centroids of the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG), intracluster light (ICL), the hot intracluster medium (ICM), and the core lensing mass for a sample of strong lensing galaxy clusters from the SDSS Giant Arcs Survey (SGAS). We use iterative elliptical isophote fitting methods and GALFIT modeling on HST WFC3/IR imaging data to extract ICL and BCG information and use CIAO's Sherpa modeling on Chandra ACIS-I X-ray data to make measurements of the ICM. Using this multicomponent approach, we attempt to constrain the physical state of these strong lensing clusters and evaluate the different observable components in terms of their ability to trace out the gravitational potential of the cluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Author(s): Sebastian Lopez (corresponding author) [1]; Nicolas Tejos [2]; Cdric Ledoux [3]; L. Felipe Barrientos [4]; Keren Sharon [5]; Jane R. Rigby [6]; Michael D. Gladders [7, 8]; Matthew B. [...]

We image the spatial extent of a cool galactic outflow with fine-structure Fe ii * emission and resonant Mg ii emission in a gravitationally lensed star-forming galaxy at z = 1.70347. The Fe ii * and Mg ii (continuum-subtracted) emissions span out to radial distances of ∼14.33 and 26.5 kpc, respectively, with maximum spatial extents of ∼21 kpc for Fe ii * emission and ∼30 kpc for Mg ii emission. Mg ii emission is patchy and covers a total area of ∼184 kpc2, constraining the minimum area covered by the outflowing gas to be ∼13% of the total area. Mg ii emission is asymmetric and shows ∼21% more extended emission along the decl. direction. We constrain the covering fractions of the Fe ii * and Mg ii emission as a function of radial distance and characterize them with a power-law model. The Mg ii 2803 emission line shows two kinematically distinct emission components and may correspond to two distinct shells of outflowing gas with a velocity separation of Î" v ∼ 400 km sâˆ'1. By using multiple images with different magnifications of the galaxy in the image plane, we trace the Fe ii * and Mg ii emissions around three individual star-forming regions. In all cases, both the Fe ii * and Mg ii emissions are more spatially extended compared to the star-forming regions traced by the [O ii ] emission. These findings provide robust constraints on the spatial extent of the outflowing gas and, combined with outflow velocity and column density measurements, will give stringent constraints on mass-outflow rates of the galaxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatially extended halos of H i Ly α emission are now ubiquitously found around high-redshift star-forming galaxies. But our understanding of the nature and powering mechanisms of these halos is still hampered by the complex radiative transfer effects of the Ly α line and limited angular resolution. In this paper, we present resolved Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) observations of SGAS J122651.3+215220, a strongly lensed pair of L * galaxies at z = 2.92 embedded in a Ly α halo of L Ly α = (6.2 ± 1.3) Ă— 1042 erg sâˆ'1. Globally, the system shows a line profile that is markedly asymmetric and redshifted, but its width and peak shift vary significantly across the halo. By fitting the spatially binned Ly α spectra with a collection of radiative transfer galactic wind models, we infer a mean outflow expansion velocity of ≈211 km sâˆ'1, with higher values preferentially found on both sides of the system’s major axis. The velocity of the outflow is validated with the blueshift of low-ionization metal absorption lines in the spectra of the central galaxies. We also identify a faint (M 1500 ≈ âˆ'16.7) companion detected in both Ly α and the continuum, whose properties are in agreement with a predicted population of satellite galaxies that contribute to the extended Ly α emission. Finally, we briefly discuss the impact of the interaction between the central galaxies on the properties of the halo and the possibility of in situ fluorescent Ly α production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upcoming space-based integral field spectrographs will enable spatially resolved spectroscopy of distant galaxies, including at the scale of individual star-forming regions (i.e., down to just tens of parsecs) in galaxies that have been strongly gravitationally lensed. In the meantime, there is only a very small set of lensed galaxies where such spatial detail is possible at wavelengths containing important rest-optical emission lines, even with the Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field Camera 3 infrared channel grisms. Here, we examine two of these sources, SDSS J1723+3411 and SDSS J2340+2947, using HST WFC3/IR grism data and supporting spatially unresolved spectroscopy from several ground-based instruments to explore the size of spatial variations in observed strong emission-line ratios like O32 and R23, which are sensitive to ionization parameter and metallicity, and the Balmer decrement, which is an indicator of reddening. We find significant spatial variation in the reddening and in the reddening-corrected O32 and R23 values that correspond to spreads of a few tenths of a dex in ionization parameter and metallicity. We also find clear evidence of a negative radial gradient in star formation in SDSS J2340+2947 and tentative evidence of one in SDSS J1723+3411, though its star formation is quite asymmetric. Finally, we find that reddening can vary enough spatially to make spatially resolved reddening corrections necessary in order to characterize gradients in line ratios and the physical conditions inferred from them, necessitating the use of space-based integral field units for future work on larger, more statistically robust samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the discovery of COOL J1241+2219, a strongly lensed galaxy at redshift z = 5.043 ± 0.002 with observed magnitude zAB = 20.47, lensed by a moderate-mass galaxy cluster at z = 1.001 ± 0.001. COOL J1241+2219 is the brightest lensed galaxy currently known at optical and near-infrared wavelengths at z ≳ 5; it is ∼5 times brighter than the prior record-holder lensed galaxy, and several magnitudes brighter than the brightest unlensed galaxies known at these redshifts. It was discovered as part of COOL-LAMPS, a collaboration initiated to find strongly lensed systems in recent public optical imaging data. We characterize the lensed galaxy, as well as the central galaxy of the lensing cluster using ground-based grizJH imaging and optical spectroscopy. We report model-based magnitudes, and derive stellar masses, dust content, metallicity, and star-formation rates via stellar-population synthesis modeling. Our lens mass modeling, based on ground-based imaging, implies a median source magnification of ∼30, which puts the stellar mass and star-formation rate (in the youngest age bin, closest to the epoch of observation) at logM* = and SFR = M⊙ yr−1, respectively. We constrain a star-formation history for COOL J1241+2219 consistent with constant star formation across ∼1 Gyr of cosmic time, and that places this galaxy on the high-mass end of the star-forming main sequence. COOL J1241+2219 is two to four times more luminous than a galaxy with the characteristic UV luminosity at these redshifts. The UV continuum slope β = −2.2 ± 0.2 places this galaxy on the blue side of the observed distribution of galaxies at z = 5, although the lack of Lyα emission indicates dust sufficient to suppress this emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a novel Bayesian methodology to jointly model photometry and deep Hubble Space Telescope 2D grism spectroscopy of high-redshift galaxies. Our requiem2d code measures both unresolved and resolved stellar populations, ages, and star formation histories (SFHs) for the ongoing REsolving QUIEscent Magnified (REQUIEM) Galaxies Survey, which targets strong gravitationally lensed quiescent galaxies at z ∼ 2. We test the accuracy of requiem2d using a simulated sample of massive galaxies at z ∼ 2 from the Illustris cosmological simulation and find that we recover the general trends in SFH and median stellar ages. We further present a pilot study for the REQUIEM Galaxies Survey: MRG-S0851, a quintuply imaged, massive () red galaxy at z = 1.883 ± 0.001. With an estimated gravitational magnification of , we sample the stellar populations on 0.6 kpc physical size bins. The global mass-weighted median age is constrained to be Gyr, and our spatially resolved analysis reveals that MRG-S0851 has a flat age gradient in the inner 3 kpc core after taking into account the subtle effects of dust and metallicity on age measurements, favoring an early formation scenario. The analysis for the full REQUIEM-2D sample will be presented in a forthcoming paper with a beta release of the requiem2d code. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an analysis of the mass distribution inferred from strong lensing by SPT-CL J0356−5337, a cluster of galaxies at redshift revealed in the follow-up of the SPT-SZ clusters. The cluster has an Einstein radius of 14″ for a source at z = 3 and a mass within 500 kpc of. Our spectroscopic identification of three multiply imaged systems (, , and), combined with HSTF606W-band imaging allows us to build a strong lensing model for this cluster with an rms of. Our modeling reveals a two-component mass distribution in the cluster. One mass component is dominated by the brightest cluster Galaxy and the other component, separated by ∼170 kpc, contains a group of eight red elliptical galaxies confined in a ∼9″ (∼70 kpc) diameter circle. We estimate the mass ratio between the two components to be between 1:1.25 and 1:1.58. In addition, spectroscopic data reveal that these two near-equal mass cores have only a small velocity difference of ∼300 km s−1 between the two components. This small radial velocity difference suggests that most of the relative velocity takes place in the plane of the sky, and implies that SPT-CL J0356−5337 is a major merger with a small impact parameter seen face-on. We also assess the relative contributions of Galaxy-scale halos to the overall mass of the core of the cluster and find that within 800 kpc from the brightest cluster Galaxy about 27% of the total mass can be attributed to visible and dark matter associated with galaxies, whereas only 73% of the total mass in the core comes from cluster-scale dark matter halos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We probe the spatial distribution of outflowing gas along four lines of sight separated by up to 6 kpc in a gravitationally lensed star-forming galaxy at z = 1.70. Using MgII and Fe II emission and absorption as tracers, we find that the clumps of star formation are driving galactic outflows with velocities of -170 to -250 km s-1. The velocities of MgII emission are redshifted with respect to the systemic velocities of the galaxy, consistent with being backscattered. By contrast, the Fe II fluorescent emission lines are either slightly blueshifted or at the systemic velocity of the galaxy. Taken together, the velocity structure of the MgII and Fe II emission is consistent with arising through scattering in galactic winds. Assuming a thin shell geometry for the outflowing gas, the estimated masses carried out by these outflows are large (≳30-50 M≳ yr-1), with mass loading factors several times the star formation rate. Almost 20 per cent to 50 per cent of the blueshifted absorption probably escapes the gravitational potential of the galaxy. In this galaxy, the outflow is 'locally sourced', that is, the properties of the outflow in each line of sight are dominated by the properties of the nearest clump of star formation; the wind is not global to the galaxy. The mass outflow rates and the momentum flux carried out by outflows in individual star-forming knots of this object are comparable to that of starburst galaxies in the local Universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Star formation occurs on physical scales corresponding to individual star forming regions, typically of order ∼100 parsecs in size, but current observational facilities cannot resolve these scales within field galaxies beyond the local universe. However, the magnification from strong gravitational lensing allows us to measure the properties of these discrete star forming regions within galaxies in the distant universe. New results from multi-wavelength spectroscopic studies of a sample of extremely bright, highly magnified lensed galaxies are revealing the complexity of star formation on sub-galaxy scales during the era of peak star formation in the universe. We find a wide range of properties in the rest-frame UV spectra of individual galaxies, as well as in spectra that originate from different star forming regions within the same galaxy. Large variations in the strengths and velocity structure of Lyman-alpha and strong P Cygni lines such as C IV, and MgII provide new insights into the astrophysical relationships between extremely massive stars, the elemental abundances and physical properties of the nebular gas those stars ionize, and the galactic-scale outflows they power. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We present an analysis of the line-of-sight structure toward a sample of 10 strong lensing cluster cores. Structure is traced by groups that are identified spectroscopically in the redshift range, 0.1 ⩽ z ⩽ 0.9, and we measure the projected angular and comoving separations between each group and the primary strong lensing clusters in each corresponding line of sight. From these data we measure the distribution of projected angular separations between the primary strong lensing clusters and uncorrelated large-scale structure as traced by groups. We then compare the observed distribution of angular separations for our strong lensing selected lines of sight against the distribution of groups that is predicted for clusters lying along random lines of sight. There is clear evidence for an excess of structure along the line of sight at small angular separations (θ ⩽ 6′) along the strong lensing selected lines of sight, indicating that uncorrelated structure is a significant systematic that contributes to producing galaxy clusters with large cross sections for strong lensing. The prevalence of line-of-sight structure is one of several biases in strong lensing clusters that can potentially be folded into cosmological measurements using galaxy cluster samples. These results also have implications for current and future studies—such as the Hubble Space Telescope Frontier Fields—that make use of massive galaxy cluster lenses as precision cosmological telescopes; it is essential that the contribution of line-of-sight structure be carefully accounted for in the strong lens modeling of the cluster lenses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process by which the mass density profile of certain galaxy clusters becomes centrally concentrated enough to produce high strong lensing (SL) cross-sections is not well understood. It has been suggested that the baryonic condensation of the intracluster medium (ICM) due to cooling may drag dark matter to the cores and thus steepen the profile. In this work, we search for evidence of ongoing ICM cooling in the first large, well-defined sample of SL selected galaxy clusters in the range 0.1 < z < 0.6. Based on known correlations between the ICM cooling rate and both optical emission line luminosity and star formation, we measure, for a sample of 89 SL clusters, the fraction of clusters that have [O II]λλ3727 emission in their brightest cluster galaxy (BCG). We find that the fraction of line-emitting BCGs is constant as a function of redshift forz > 0.2 and shows no statistically significant deviation from the total cluster population. Specific star formation rates, as traced by the strength of the 4000 Å break, D4000, are also consistent with the general cluster population. Finally, we use optical imaging of the SL clusters to measure the angular separation, Rarc, between the arc and the center of mass of each lensing cluster in our sample and test for evidence of changing [O II] emission and D4000 as a function of Rarc, a proxy observable for SL cross-sections. D4000 is constant with all values of Rarc, and the [O II] emission fractions show no dependence on Rarc for Rarc > 10" and only very marginal evidence of increased weak [O II] emission for systems with Rarc < 10". These results argue against the ability of baryonic cooling associated with cool core activity in the cores of galaxy clusters to strongly modify the underlying dark matter potential, leading to an increase in SL cross-sections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We study the mass distribution of a sample of 28 galaxy clusters using strong and weak lensing observations. The clusters are selected via their strong lensing properties as part of the Sloan Giant Arcs Survey (SGAS) from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Mass modelling of the strong lensing information from the giant arcs is combined with weak lensing measurements from deep Subaru/Suprime-cam images to primarily obtain robust constraints on the concentration parameter and the shape of the mass distribution. We find that the concentration cvir is a steep function of the mass, cvir∝ M−0.59±0.12vir, with the value roughly consistent with the lensing-bias-corrected theoretical expectation for high-mass (∼1015 h−1 M⊙) clusters. However, the observationally inferred concentration parameters appear to be much higher at lower masses (∼1014 h−1 M⊙), possibly a consequence of the modification to the inner density profiles provided by baryon cooling. The steep mass-concentration relation is also supported from direct stacking analysis of the tangential shear profiles. In addition, we explore the 2D shape of the projected mass distribution by stacking weak lensing shear maps of individual clusters with prior information on the position angle from strong lens modelling, and find significant evidence for a large mean ellipticity with the best-fitting value of 〈 e〉= 0.47 ± 0.06 for the mass distribution of the stacked sample. We find that the luminous cluster member galaxy distribution traces the overall mass distribution very well, although the distribution of fainter cluster galaxies appears to be more extended than the total mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We study the mass distribution of a sample of 28 galaxy clusters using strong and weak lensing observations. The clusters are selected via their strong lensing properties as part of the Sloan Giant Arcs Survey (SGAS) from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Mass modelling of the strong lensing information from the giant arcs is combined with weak lensing measurements from deep Subaru/Suprime-cam images to primarily obtain robust constraints on the concentration parameter and the shape of the mass distribution. We find that the concentration cvir is a steep function of the mass, cvir∝ M−0.59±0.12vir, with the value roughly consistent with the lensing-bias-corrected theoretical expectation for high-mass (∼1015 h−1 M⊙) clusters. However, the observationally inferred concentration parameters appear to be much higher at lower masses (∼1014 h−1 M⊙), possibly a consequence of the modification to the inner density profiles provided by baryon cooling. The steep mass-concentration relation is also supported from direct stacking analysis of the tangential shear profiles. In addition, we explore the 2D shape of the projected mass distribution by stacking weak lensing shear maps of individual clusters with prior information on the position angle from strong lens modelling, and find significant evidence for a large mean ellipticity with the best-fitting value of 〈 e〉= 0.47 ± 0.06 for the mass distribution of the stacked sample. We find that the luminous cluster member galaxy distribution traces the overall mass distribution very well, although the distribution of fainter cluster galaxies appears to be more extended than the total mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present new Hubble Space Telescope/Wide Field Camera 3 imaging data of RCSGA 032727-132609, a bright lensed galaxy at z = 1.7 that is magnified and stretched by the lensing cluster RCS2 032727-132623. Using this new high-resolution imaging, we modify our previous lens model (which was based on ground-based data) to fully understand the lensing geometry, and use it to reconstruct the lensed galaxy in the source plane. This giant arc represents a unique opportunity to peer into 100 pc scale structures in a high-redshift galaxy. This new source reconstruction will be crucial for a future analysis of the spatially resolved rest-UV and rest-optical spectra of the brightest parts of the arc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a comprehensive analysis of the rest-frame UV to near-IR spectral energy distributions (SEDs) and rest-frame optical spectra of four of the brightest gravitationally lensed galaxies in the literature: RCSGA 032727-132609 at ɀ = 1.70, MS1512-cB58 at ɀ = 2.73, SGAS J152745.1+065219 at ɀ = 2.76, and SGAS J122651.3+215220 at ɀ = 2.92. This includes new Spitzer imaging for RCSGA0327 as well as new spectra, near-IR imaging and Spitzer imaging for SGAS1527 and SGAS 1226. Lensing magnifications of 3-4 mag allow a detailed study of the stellar populations and physical conditions. We compare star formation rates (SFRs) as measured from the SED fit, the Hα and [O II] λ3727 emission lines, and the UV+IR bolometric luminosity where 24 µm photometry is available. The SFR estimate from the SED fit is consistently higher than the other indicators, which suggests that the Calzetti dust extinction law used in the SED fitting is too flat for young star-forming galaxies at ɀ ~ 2. Our analysis finds similar stellar population parameters for all four lensed galaxies: stellar masses (3-7) x 109 Mœ, young ages ~ 100 Myr, little dust content E(B - V) = 0.10-0.25, and SFRs around 20-100 Mœ yr-1. Compared to typical values for the galaxy population at ɀ ~ 2, this suggests we are looking at newly formed, starbursting systems that have only recently started the buildup of stellar mass. These results constitute the first detailed, uniform analysis of a sample of the growing number of strongly lensed galaxies known at ɀ ~ 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We measure the photometric properties of 105 giant arcs that were identified in systematic searches for galaxy-cluster-scale strong lenses in the Second Red-Sequence Cluster Survey and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The cluster lenses span 0.2 < zl < 1.2 in redshift, with a median z̄l = 0.58. Using broadband color criteria we sort the entire arc sample into redshift bins based on u-g and g-r colors, and also r-z colors for the ~90% of arcs that have z-band data. This analysis yields broad redshift constraints with Due to image rights restrictions, multiple line equation(s) cannot be graphically displayed. of the arcs at z ≥ 1.0, Due to image rights restrictions, multiple line equation(s) cannot be graphically displayed. at z ≥ 1.4, Due to image rights restrictions, multiple line equation(s) cannot be graphically displayed. at z ≥ 1.9, and Due to image rights restrictions, multiple line equation(s) cannot be graphically displayed. at z ≥ 2.7. The remaining Due to image rights restrictions, multiple line equation(s) cannot be graphically displayed. have z < 1. The inferred median redshift is z̄s = 2.0 ± 0.1, in good agreement with a previous determination from a smaller sample of brighter arcs (g ≲ 22.5). This agreement confirms that zs = 2.0 ± 0.1 is the typical redshift for giant arcs with g ≲ 24 that are produced by cluster-scale strong lenses and that there is no evidence for strong evolution in the redshift distribution of arcs over a wide range of g-band magnitudes (20 ≤ g ≤ 24). Establishing that half of all giant arcs are at z ≳ 2 contributes significantly toward relieving the tension between the number of arcs observed and the number expected in a ACDM cosmology, but there is considerable evidence to suggest that a discrepancy persists. Additionally, this work confirms that forthcoming large samples of giant arcs will supply the observational community with many magnified galaxies at z ≳ 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Driven by the unprecedented wealth of high quality data that is accumulating for the Frontier Fields, they are becoming some of the best-studied strong lensing clusters to date, and probably the next few years. As will be discussed intensively in this focus meeting, the FF prove transformative for many fields: from studies of the high redshift Universe, to the assembly and structure of the clusters themselves. The FF data and the extensive collaborative effort around this program will also allow us to examine and improve upon current lens modeling techniques. Strong lensing is a powerful tool for mass reconstruction of the cores of galaxy clusters of all scales, providing an estimate of the total (dark and seen) projected mass density distribution out to 0.5 Mpc. Though SL mass may be biased by contribution from structures along the line of sight, its strength is that it is relatively insensitive to assumptions on cluster baryon astrophysics and dynamical state. Like the Frontier Fields clusters, the most “famous” strong lensing clusters are at the high mass end; they lens dozens of background sources into multiple images, providing ample lensing constraints. In this talk, I will focus on how we can leverage what we learn from modeling the FF clusters in strong lensing studies of the hundreds of clusters that will be discovered in upcoming surveys. In typical clusters, unlike the Frontier Fields, the Bullet Cluster and A1689, we observe only one to a handful of background sources, and have limited lensing constraints. I will describe the limitations that such a configuration imposes on strong lens modeling, highlight measurements that are robust to the richness of lensing evidence, and address the sources of uncertainty and what sort of information can help reduce those uncertainties. This category of lensing clusters is most relevant to the wide cluster surveys of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We investigate how varying the number of multiple image constraints and the available redshift information can influence the systematic errors of strong lens models, specifically, the image predictability, mass distribution, and magnifications of background sources. This work will not only inform upon Frontier Field science, but also for work on the growing collection of strong lensing galaxy clusters, most of which are less massive and are capable of lensing a handful of galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We present strong-lensing models as well as mass and magnification maps for the cores of the six Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Frontier Fields galaxy clusters. Our parametric lens models are constrained by the locations and redshifts of multiple image systems of lensed background galaxies. We use a combination of photometric redshifts and spectroscopic redshifts of the lensed background sources obtained by us (for A2744 and AS1063), collected from the literature, or kindly provided by the lensing community. Using our results, we (1) compare the derived mass distribution of each cluster to its light distribution, (2) quantify the cumulative magnification power of the HST Frontier Fields clusters, (3) describe how our models can be used to estimate the magnification and image multiplicity of lensed background sources at all redshifts and at any position within the cluster cores, and (4) discuss systematic effects and caveats resulting from our modeling methods. We specifically investigate the effect of the use of spectroscopic and photometric redshift constraints on the uncertainties of the resulting models. We find that the photometric redshift estimates of lensed galaxies are generally in excellent agreement with spectroscopic redshifts, where available. However, the flexibility associated with relaxed redshift priors may cause the complexity of large-scale structure that is needed to account for the lensing signal to be underestimated. Our findings thus underline the importance of spectroscopic arc redshifts, or tight photometric redshift constraints, for high precision lens models. All products from our best-fit lens models (magnification, convergence, shear, deflection field) and model simulations for estimating errors are made available via the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the mass distribution at the core of SDSS J1531+3414, a strong-lensing cluster at z = 0.335. We find that the mass distribution is well described by two cluster-scale halos with a contribution from cluster-member galaxies. New Hubble Space Telescope observations of SDSS J1531+3414 reveal a signature of ongoing star formation associated with the two central galaxies at the core of the cluster, in the form of a chain of star forming regions at the center of the cluster. Using the lens model presented here, we place upper limits on the contribution of a possible lensed image to the flux at the central region, and rule out that this emission is coming from a background source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present optical and near-IR imaging and spectroscopy of SGAS J105039.6+001730, a strongly lensed galaxy at z = 3.6252 magnified by >30×, and derive its physical properties. We measure a stellar mass of log(M*/M☼) = 9.5 ± 0.35, star formation rates from [O II] λλ3727 and Hβ of 55 ± 25 and 84 ± 24 M☼ yr–1, respectively, an electron density of ne ⩽ 103 cm–2, an electron temperature of Te ⩽ 14,000 K, and a metallicity of 12 + log(O/H) = 8.3 ± 0.1. The strong C III] λλ1907,1909 emission and abundance ratios of C, N, O, and Si are consistent with well-studied starbursts at z ∼ 0 with similar metallicities. Strong P Cygni lines and He II λ1640 emission indicate a significant population of Wolf-Rayet stars, but synthetic spectra of individual populations of young, hot stars do not reproduce the observed integrated P Cygni absorption features. The rest-frame UV spectral features are indicative of a young starburst with high ionization, implying either (1) an ionization parameter significantly higher than suggested by rest-frame optical nebular lines, or (2) differences in one or both of the initial mass function and the properties of ionizing spectra of massive stars. We argue that the observed features are likely the result of a superposition of star forming regions with different physical properties. These results demonstrate the complexity of star formation on scales smaller than individual galaxies, and highlight the importance of systematic effects that result from smearing together the signatures of individual star forming regions within galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present new optical integral field spectroscopy (Gemini South) and submillimeter spectroscopy (Submillimeter Array) of the central galaxy in the Phoenix cluster (SPT-CLJ2344-4243). This cluster was previously reported to have a massive starburst (∼800 M☼ yr–1) in the central, brightest cluster galaxy, most likely fueled by the rapidly cooling intracluster medium. These new data reveal a complex emission-line nebula, extending for >30 kpc from the central galaxy, detected at [O II]λλ3726, 3729, [O III]λλ4959, 5007, Hβ, Hγ, Hδ, [Ne III]λ3869, and He II λ4686. The total Hα luminosity, assuming Hα/Hβ = 2.85, is LHα = 7.6 ± 0.4 ×1043 erg s–1, making this the most luminous emission-line nebula detected in the center of a cool core cluster. Overall, the relative fluxes of the low-ionization lines (e.g., [O II], Hβ) to the UV continuum are consistent with photoionization by young stars. In both the center of the galaxy and in a newly discovered highly ionized plume to the north of the galaxy, the ionization ratios are consistent with both shocks and active galactic nucleus (AGN) photoionization. We speculate that this extended plume may be a galactic wind, driven and partially photoionized by both the starburst and central AGN. Throughout the cluster we measure elevated high-ionization line ratios (e.g., He II/Hβ, [O III]/Hβ), coupled with an overall high-velocity width (FWHM ≳ 500 km s–1), suggesting that shocks are likely important throughout the interstellar medium of the central galaxy. These shocks are most likely driven by a combination of stellar winds from massive young stars, core-collapse supernovae, and the central AGN. In addition to the warm, ionized gas, we detect a substantial amount of cold, molecular gas via the CO(3-2) transition, coincident in position with the galaxy center. We infer a molecular gas mass of = 2.2 ± 0.6 × 1010M☼, which implies that the starburst will consume its fuel in ∼30 Myr if it is not replenished. The LIR/ that we measure for this cluster is consistent with the starburst limit of 500 L☼/M☼, above which radiation pressure is able to disperse the cold reservoir. The combination of the high level of turbulence in the warm phase and the high LIR/ ratio suggests that this violent starburst may be in the process of quenching itself. We propose that phases of rapid star formation may be common in the cores of galaxy clusters, but so short-lived that their signatures are quickly erased and appear only in a subsample of the most strongly cooling clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present measurements of the surface density of star formation, the star-forming clump luminosity function, and the clump size distribution function, for the lensed galaxy SGAS J111020.0+645950.8 at a redshift of z =2.481. The physical size scales that we probe, radii r = 30-50 pc, are considerably smaller scales than have yet been studied at these redshifts. The star formation surface density we find within these small clumps is consistent with surface densities measured previously for other lensed galaxies at similar redshift. Twenty-two percent of the rest-frame ultraviolet light in this lensed galaxy arises from small clumps, with r <100 pc. Within the range of overlap, the clump luminosity function measured for this lensed galaxy is remarkably similar to those of z ∼ 0 galaxies. In this galaxy, star-forming regions smaller than 100 pc-physical scales not usually resolved at these redshifts by current telescopes-are important locations of star formation in the distant universe. If this galaxy is representative, this may contradict the theoretical picture in which the critical size scale for star formation in the distant universe is of order 1 kiloparsec. Instead, our results suggest that current telescopes have not yet resolved the critical size scales of star-forming activity in galaxies over most of cosmic time.