MACS J0416.1-2403: Impact of line-of-sight structures on strong gravitational lensing modelling of galaxy clusters

Understand

Exploiting the powerful tool of strong gravitational lensing by galaxy clusters to study the highest-redshift Universe and cluster mass distributions relies on precise lens mass modelling.

• In this work, we present the first attempt at modelling line-of-sight mass distribution in addition to that of the cluster, extending previous modelling techniques that assume mass distributions to be on a single lens plane.
• We focus on the Hubble Frontier Field cluster MACS J0416.1-2403, and our multi-plane model reproduces the observed image positions with a rms offset of ~0.53".
• Starting from this best-fitting model, we simulate a mock cluster that resembles MACS J0416.1-2403 in order to explore the effects of line-of-sight structures on cluster mass modelling.