Table of Contents

Foreword
Introduction
Outline
Basics of modern cosmology
The cosmological principle
The Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker metric
The Hubble constant
Cosmological redshift
Friedmann equations
Energy components of Universe
Critical density
Density parameters
Cosmological distances
Observational cosmology
The concordance model
Unanswered questions
Active galactic nuclei
Classification scheme
Unified scheme
Radius-luminosity relationship
Standard thin accretion disk model
Problems with the standard thin accretion disk model
Gravitational lensing
Historical background
Lens equation
Deflection angle
Deflection potential
Arrival time and Fermat’s principle
Time delays and the Hubble constant
Images and magnification of a lensed source
Properties of ordinary images
Critical curves and caustics
The mass-sheet degeneracy
Models of gravitational lenses
Searches for new gravitationally lensed quasars
Deconvolution
Spatial deconvolution
Time delays and the Hubble constant
Introduction
Observational and theoretical challenges
Determination of the optimal monitoring strategy
Methods to measure time delays
COSMOGRAIL
Discussion
Redshift of lensing galaxies
Introduction
Spectroscopy with the Very Large Telescope
Lens redshifts and dark energy
Discussion
Microlensing: a natural telescope
Introduction
Particularities of microlensing
First microlensing techniques
Applications of quasar microlensing
The Einstein Cross QSO 2237+0305
Spectrophotometric monitoring of QSO 2237+0305
Energy profile of the accretion disk
Discussion
Dynamics versus gravitational lensing
Introduction
Integral-field spectroscopy with FLAMES
Integral-field spectroscopy with SINFONI
Long-slit spectroscopy with FORS2
Dynamical models of lensing galaxies
Discussion
General conclusions and outlook
Bibliography

About the Author

Dr Alexander Eigenbrod
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne