Gravitational lensing of gravitational waves: prospects for probing intermediate-mass black holes in galaxy lenses with global minima image

• DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stae1707
• Publication Date: 2024-07-14T02:35:11Z
• Authors: Ashish Kumar Meena
• Keywords: Strong gravitational lensing; Maxima and minima; Gravitational lensing formalism

ABSTRACT This work studies microlensing effects in strongly lensed gravitational wave (GW) signals corresponding to global minima images galaxy-scale lenses. We find that stellar microlenses alone are unable introduce noticeable the GW at strong lensing magnification $( {\mu})\lt 50$ with match value between unlensed and being above ${\sim }99.5~{{\ \rm per \, cent}}$ }90~{{\ of systems implying can be treated as reference signal determine amount other counterparts. Since negligible minima, they used probe intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) lenses galaxy lens. show presence an IMBH lens mass range $[50,10^3]~{\rm M_\odot }$ such lies within five Einstein radius it, $f\lt 10^2$ Hz mainly determined by for ${\mu} \lt 50$. Assuming a typical 3.8 high enough signal-to-noise ratio (in ${\simeq }[10, 30]$) detect effect non-detection IMBH-led }15~({\simeq }150)$ signals, we rule out dark matter fraction $\gt 10~{{\ cent}}~(\gt 1~{{\ cent}})$ made population inside values 150~{\rm }$90 cent confidence. Although have specifically IMBHs example, same analysis applies any subhalo (or compact objects) masses (i.e. total radius) satisfying criterion.