@article{GoicoecheaAlcaldeMediavillaetal.2002, author = {Goicoechea, Luis Julian and Alcalde, D. and Mediavilla, E. and Munoz, J. A. and Gil-Merino, Rodrigo}, title = {The nature and size of the optical continuum source in QSO 2237+0305}, year = {2002}, abstract = {From the peak of a gravitational microlensing high-magnification event in the A component of QSO 2237+0305, which was accurately monitored by the Gravitational Lenses International Time Project collaboration, we derived new information on the nature and size of the optical V-band and R-band sources in the distant quasar. If the microlensing peak is caused by a microcaustic crossing, we first obtain that the standard accretion disk is a scenario more reliable/ feasible than other typical axially symmetric models. Moreover, the standard scenario fits both the V-band and R-band observations with reduced ?2 values very close to 1. Taking into account all these results, a standard accretion disk around a supermassive black hole is a good candidate for the optical continuum main source in QSO 2237+0305. Second, using the standard source model and a robust upper limit on the transverse galactic velocity, we infer that 90\% of the V- band and R-band luminosities are emitted from a region with a radial size less than 1.2×10-2 pc (=3.7×1016 cm, at a 2 ? confidence level).}, language = {en} } @article{AlcaldeMediavillaMoreauetal.2002, author = {Alcalde, D. and Mediavilla, E. and Moreau, O. and De Rop, Y. and Barrena, R. and Gil-Merino, Rodrigo and McLeod, B. A. and Motta, V. and Oscoz, Alejandro and Serra-Ricart, M.}, title = {QSO 2237+0305 VR light curves from Gravitational Lenses International Time Project optical monitoring}, year = {2002}, abstract = {We present VR observations of QSO 2237+0305 conducted by the Gravitational Lensing International Time Project collaboration from 1999 October 1 to 2000 February 3. The observations were made with the 2.56 m Nordic Optical Telescope at Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, La Palma (Spain). The point-spread function (PSF) fitting method and an adapted version of the ISIS subtraction method have been used to derive the VR light curves of the four components (A-D) of the quasar. The mean errors range in the intervals 0.01-0.04 mag (PSF fitting) and 0.01-0.02 mag (ISIS subtraction), with the faintest component (D) having the largest uncertainties. We address the relatively good agreement between the A and D light curves derived using different filters, photometric techniques, and telescopes. The new VR light curves of component A extend the time coverage of a high-magnification microlensing peak, which was discovered by the OGLE team.}, language = {en} } @article{GilMerinoWisotzkiWambsganss2002, author = {Gil-Merino, Rodrigo and Wisotzki, Lutz and Wambsganß, Joachim}, title = {The Double Quasar HE 1104-1805 : a case study for time delay determination with poorly sampled lightcurves}, year = {2002}, abstract = {We present a new determination of the time delay of the gravitational lens system HE 1104-1805 (``Double Hamburger'') based on a previously unpublished dataset. We argue that the previously published value of Delta tA-B=0.73 years was affected by a bias of the employed method. We determine a new value of Delta tA-B=0.85+/-0.05 years (2sigma confidence level), using six different techniques based on non interpolation methods in the time domain. The result demonstrates that even in the case of poorly sampled lightcurves, useful information can be obtained with regard to the time delay. The error estimates were calculated through Monte Carlo simulations. With two already existing models for the lens and using its recently determined redshift, we infer a range of values of the Hubble parameter: H0=48+/-4 km s-1 Mpc-1 (2sigma ) for a singular isothermal ellipsoid (SIE) and H0=62+/-4 km s-1 Mpc-1 (2sigma ) for a constant mass-to-light ratio plus shear model (M/L+gamma ). The possibly much larger errors due to systematic uncertainties in modeling the lens potential are not included in this error estimate.}, language = {en} }