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D. B. Haarsma, P. G. Ammar, C. B. Boersma (Calvin College), J. N. Winn, J. Lehar (Harvard CfA)
Gravitational lenses are useful for studying the structure and evolution of galaxies, but their usefulness is limited by the number of known galaxy-mass lenses. Most searches for radio lenses are limited to flat-spectrum objects (radio cores), a method which is effective for finding variable lensed objects but misses the majority of lensed radio sources. Our search focuses on steep spectrum objects (radio lobes), and uses radio and optical catalogs to narrow the target list and make the search efficient. Out of 771,000 radio objects in FIRST, we carefully selected those which have radio galaxy morphology and an optical counterpart to a lobe in POSS, UKST, or SDSS. We obtained high-resolution (VLA A-array 6 cm) images of 93 candidates, and eliminated those with poor optical-radio alignment. Of the remaining 26 candidates, a handful show promising lens morphology. Optical and radio followup observations are in progress. We acknowledge the support of a Cottrell College Science Award from Research Corporation.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 34, #4
© 2002. The American Astronomical Soceity.