The magnification theorem

Talk in the symposium Three decades of gravitational lenses at JENAM 2009, 20-23 April 2009

O. Wucknitz [1]

  1. Argelander-Institut für Astronomie, Auf dem Hügel 71, 53121 Bonn, Germany

Abstract

In this presentation I discuss the magnification theorem according to which any realistic mass distribution will always produce at least one image with a magnification above unity. To avoid the paradox that total flux would not be conserved, this theorem can only be valid if the un-lensed situation used for comparison is defined in such a way that the area over which the flux is distributed is different from the lensed situation. In an alternative scenario with unchanged total area, the magnification theorem does not hold anymore. This picture has the advantage that the magnification can be derived directly from the deflection angle, which is not strictly true in the standard scenario. As an interesting implication, the Poisson equation has to be modified to account for the fact that field lines cannot escape the compact celestial sphere.




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Script last modified on 7 Sep 2010
Last change to this data base entry on 13 Jul 2009