Discovery of the Lensed Quasar System des J0408-5354

H. Lin, E. Buckley-Geer, A. Agnello, F. Ostrovski, R. G. McMahon, B. Nord, N. Kuropatkin, D. L. Tucker, T. Treu, J. H.H. Chan, S. H. Suyu, H. T. Diehl, T. Collett, M. S.S. Gill, A. More, A. Amara, M. W. Auger, F. Courbin, C. D. Fassnacht, J. FriemanP. J. Marshall, G. Meylan, C. E. Rusu, T. M.C. Abbott, F. B. Abdalla, S. Allam, M. Banerji, K. Bechtol, A. Benoit-Lévy, E. Bertin, D. Brooks, D. L. Burke, A. Carnero Rosell, M. Carrasco Kind, J. Carretero, F. J. Castander, M. Crocce, C. B. D'Andrea, L. N.Da Costa, S. Desai, J. P. Dietrich, T. F. Eifler, D. A. Finley, B. Flaugher, P. Fosalba, J. García-Bellido, E. Gaztanaga, D. W. Gerdes, D. A. Goldstein, D. Gruen, R. A. Gruendl, J. Gschwend, G. Gutierrez, K. Honscheid, D. J. James, K. Kuehn, O. Lahav, T. S. Li, M. Lima, M. A.G. Maia, M. March, J. L. Marshall, P. Martini, P. Melchior, F. Menanteau, R. Miquel, R. L.C. Ogando, A. A. Plazas, A. K. Romer, E. Sanchez, R. Schindler, M. Schubnell, I. Sevilla-Noarbe, M. Smith, R. C. Smith, F. Sobreira, E. Suchyta, M. E.C. Swanson, G. Tarle, D. Thomas, A. R. Walker

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

33 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report the discovery and spectroscopic confirmation of the quad-like lensed quasar system DES J0408-5354 found in the Dark Energy Survey (DES) Year 1 (Y1) data. This system was discovered during a search for DES Y1 strong lensing systems using a method that identified candidates as red galaxies with multiple blue neighbors. DES J0408-5354 consists of a central red galaxy surrounded by three bright (i < 20) blue objects and a fourth red object. Subsequent spectroscopic observations using the Gemini South telescope confirmed that the three blue objects are indeed the lensed images of a quasar with redshift z = 2.375, and that the central red object is an earlytype lensing galaxy with redshift z = 0.597. DES J0408-5354 is the first quad lensed quasar system to be found in DES and begins to demonstrate the potential of DES to discover and dramatically increase the sample size of these very rare objects.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numberL15
JournalAstrophysical Journal Letters
Volume838
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1 2017
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • gravitational lensing: strong
  • quasars: general
  • surveys

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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