As of June 2020, the first all-sky X-ray survey with the eROSITA instrument aboard the spacecraft Spektr-RG has been completed. A high percentage of the 1.1 million objects included in the survey are expected to be active galactic nuclei (AGN). Such an extensive catalogue of X-ray sources offers a unique opportunity for large scale observations of distinct classes of X-ray emitters. This report explores methods of refining the catalogue to include only candidates for lensed AGN. Of the differing types of AGN known, quasi-stellar objects, or QSOs, are some of the most luminous, meaning they are well-suited for observation over large distances. This is particularly befitting for observation of gravitationally lensed objects as, for lensing effects to take place, large distances are required over which more faint objects would not be able to be viewed. An indication of strong gravitational lensing is several images of the same object seen in close proximity on the sky. In order to reduce the data to more likely candidates, counterparts within a given radius are found in the second data release from Gaia; a survey in the optical with higher resolution than eROSITA. An algorithm is produced which removes most likely stellar Gaia sources using their X-ray to optical flux ratios and astrometry parameters. The Gaia sources which have no neighbours within another given radius are then also removed, leaving a catalogue of potential multiply lensed QSOs. This automated script was then applied to an eROSITA catalogue and the results compared with known lenses. The remaining sources were also checked visually using Pan-STARRS optical survey data. The results seem to be promising, although a great deal further refinement is needed through visual inspection to find the most promising candidates for lensed QSOs. / <p>Written under the joint supervision of Georg Lamer at the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics in Potsdam. The presentation was held online at the Institute due to the COVID-19 pandemic.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:uu-419078 |
| Date | January 2020 |
| Creators | Brogan, Róisín O'Rourke |
| Publisher | Uppsala universitet, Observationell astrofysik, The Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
| Relation | FYSAST ; FYSPROJ1195 |
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