The International Conference for High Performance Computing, Networking, Storage and Analysis
Parallel Computing In High Energy Astrophysics: Combining Microlensing and Black Hole Ray-Tracing.
Authors: Bin Chen (University of Oklahoma), Xinyu Dai (University of Oklahoma), Eddie Baron (University of Oklahoma), Ronald Kantowski (University of Oklahoma)
Abstract: Gravitational lensing is an important probe in astrophysics. In particular, quasar microlensing strongly constrains the geometry of the high-energy X-ray emitting regions of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). The X-ray emission of a microlensed quasar is lensed by both the background supermassive black hole powering the AGN and the thousands (to millions) of random stars in the foreground lens galaxy.
Ray-tracing and parallel computing are needed to compute the image of the accretion disk lensed by a Kerr black hole and the microlensing magnification pattern caused by foreground random stars. We present two parallel ray-tracing codes recently developed by our group to study strong lensing of AGN X-ray emission by Kerr black holes and microlensing by foreground lens galaxies, and a numerical scheme to combine microlensing with Kerr black hole lensing.
We discuss the unique constraints on AGN X-ray emission sizes obtained by our computer programs.
