Landing page for project EA075

We propose EVN 22 GHz observations of a promising candidate for the first gravitational lens system at milliarcsecond (mas)-scales. Strong gravitational lensing at these scales uniquely probes matter condensates in the range of 10^6 -10^9 solar masses, which is a critical mass range for dark matter (DM) halo number predictions. The aim of the SMILE project (https://smilescience.info/) is to investigate the nature of DM by constraining the number of DM halos at these scales through an extensive search of milli-len systems. J1143+1834 appears as the best candidate from a pilot study conducted in 2020, based on the Astrogeo fits image database. The source, comprised of two compact radio components, has successfully passed all proposed tests to be considered a good milli-lens candidate. We request new K-band observations in order to reveal any asymmetries that could exist between components, both in morphology and in surface brightness. We will also obtain a new measurement in the high-frequency side of the spectrum, crucial to study the spectral variability of the source.

This data is part of the archive of VLBI data maintained by JIVE on behalf of the EVN, a network of radio telescopes located primarily in Europe and Asia, with additional antennas in South Africa. The EVN archive itself has the DOI https://doi.org/10.17616/R3Z197