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Black holes are same as any other matter and the lensing is only dependent on mass. So if in a distant galaxy there is dark matter, the lensing will be exactly
by lmilcin 6y ago
Black holes are same as any other matter and the lensing is only dependent on mass. So if in a distant galaxy there is dark matter, the lensing will be exactly the same regardless fo whether this is in a form of cloud of particles or from billions of small black holes.
- T-A 6y agoMicrolensing surveys look for lensing of light from distant sources caused by relatively nearby masses.
- mturmon 6y agoThe reasoning appears to be that if the BHs are clumped, then the number of microlensing events will be lowered, as opposed to if the BHs are evenly dispersed. In other words, the number of concentrated masses intercepting rays of light from distant background sources would be given by the number of BH clusters as opposed to the number of BHs. The objects we're looking for are large masses in the space between us and the distant light source. Typically the light source would be in the LMC or in our own galactic center, and the BHs would be, for example, in our own galactic halo. We wouldn't expect to be finding BHs in a distant galaxy by microlensing. I'm describing (or trying to describe!) what seems to be the astrophysics consensus. Sean Carroll is a Caltech astrophysicist who was interviewing another astrophysicist, and my quote from the article gives the explanation from a third. Am I getting this wrong?
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]