Strong Lens Time Delay Challenge: I. Experimental Design

Understand

The time delays between point-like images in gravitational lens systems can be used to measure cosmological parameters.

• The number of lenses with measured time delays is growing rapidly; the upcoming \emph{Large Synoptic Survey Telescope} (LSST) will monitor $\sim10^3$ strongly lensed quasars.
• In an effort to assess the present capabilities of the community to accurately measure the time delays, and to provide input to dedicated monitoring campaigns and future LSST cosmology feasibility studies, we have invited the community to take part in a "Time Delay Challenge" (TDC).
• The challenge is organized as a set of "ladders," each containing a group of simulated datasets to be analyzed blindly by participating teams.