Image distortion in nonperturbative gravitational lensing

Simonetta Frittelli, Thomas P. Kling, and Ezra T. Newman
Phys. Rev. D 63, 023006 – Published 29 December 2000
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Abstract

We introduce the idea of shape parameters to describe the shape of the pencil of rays connecting an observer with a source lying on his past light cone. On the basis of these shape parameters, we discuss a setting of image distortion in a generic (exact) spacetime, in the form of three distortion parameters. The fundamental tool in our discussion is the use of geodesic deviation fields along a null geodesic to study how source shapes are propagated and distorted on the path to an observer. We illustrate this nonperturbative treatment of image distortion in the case of lensing by a Schwarzschild black hole. We conclude by showing that there is a nonperturbative generalization of the use of Fermat’s principle in lensing in the thin-lens approximation.

  • Received 4 August 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.63.023006

©2000 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Simonetta Frittelli

  • Department of Physics, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15282
  • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260

Thomas P. Kling and Ezra T. Newman

  • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260

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Issue

Vol. 63, Iss. 2 — 15 January 2001

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