# The coplanar 𝑛-body gravitational lens : a general theorem

## 1 Introduction

Since the earliest studies of Einstein (1915,1916) on the deflection of light by gravitational fields in general relativity, a vast research and associated publication record in gravitational lensing, both observational and theoretical, has blossomed. The simple single mass point lens model is already the main paradigm for the understanding of the many ($`10^2`$) lensing events detected by the various monitoring and follow-up programmes under way. Binary lenses are also the focus of much effort, not only for their own intrinsic interest, but also for their potential as a tool, particularly in the detection of planetary systems. More sophisticated lens models, including many-body systems, are of interest too because of their possible galactic and cosmological applications.

## 2 The lens equation(s)

In an orthogonal rectangular co-ordinate system (x,y,z), with the origin at the observer, and the z-axis as optical axis, let a source be located in a (source) plane S at (angular size) distance $`D_\mathrm{S}`$, and let there be $`n`$ masses located in a (lens) plane L at distance $`D_\mathrm{L}`$. Rays from a source point at angular co-ordinates ($`x_s,y_s`$), on crossing the lens plane are so deflected as to produce an image point (of which there may be more than one) at angular co-ordinates ($`x_i,y_i`$). The lensing conditions for small angles, see for example Paczyński (1996), are given by:

$$x_ix_s=\alpha _x(D_\mathrm{S}D_\mathrm{L})/D_\mathrm{S};y_iy_s=\alpha _y(D_\mathrm{S}D_\mathrm{L})/D_\mathrm{S}$$

where $`\alpha _x`$ and $`\alpha _y`$ are the angular deflections in the directions of the x and y axes respectively. In a two-dimensional vector notation, with $`\stackrel{}{r}=(x,y)`$ and $`\stackrel{}{\alpha }=(\alpha _x,\alpha _y)`$ the above conditions may be written as the single equation :

$$\stackrel{}{r}_i\stackrel{}{r}_s=[(D_\mathrm{S}D_\mathrm{L})/D_\mathrm{S}]\stackrel{}{\alpha }$$

For a spherically symmetric mass $`M`$ the Einstein (1916) gravitational deflection is $`\alpha =4GM/c^2R_0`$, where $`R_0`$ is the radial distance of closest approach or impact parameter. In the (rectilinear) ray optics approximation, the image position is deemed to be where the ray crosses the lens plane. Thus for each lensing mass $`M_l`$ located at $`\stackrel{}{r}_l`$ ($`l=1,n`$), setting $`\stackrel{}{r}_{il}=|\stackrel{}{r}_i\stackrel{}{r}_l|`$, $`r_{il}=|\stackrel{}{r}_{il}|`$, and $`R_0=D_Lr_{il}`$, the contribution to the deflection is $`\stackrel{}{\alpha }_l=\alpha _0(\stackrel{}{r}_i\stackrel{}{r}_l)/r_{il}^2`$ where $`\alpha _0=4GM_l/c^2D_\mathrm{L}`$. The lens equation for the $`n`$-body system then takes the form:

$$\stackrel{}{r}_i\stackrel{}{r}_s=[(D_\mathrm{S}D_\mathrm{L})/D_\mathrm{S}]\underset{l=1}{\overset{n}{}}\stackrel{}{\alpha }_l=\underset{l=1}{\overset{n}{}}m_l(\stackrel{}{r}_i\stackrel{}{r}_l)/r_{il}^2$$

with $`m_l=[(D_\mathrm{S}D_\mathrm{L})/D_\mathrm{S}D_\mathrm{L}]4GM_l/c^2=(M_l/M)r_\mathrm{E}^2`$, where $`M=M_l`$ while $`r_\mathrm{E}=[4GMc^2(D_\mathrm{S}D_\mathrm{L})/D_\mathrm{S}D_\mathrm{L}]^{1/2}`$ is the Einstein Ring angular radius for mass $`M`$. Without any loss of generality one may set $`m=m_l=1`$, thus expressing all the angular measures in units of $`r_\mathrm{E}`$. The lens equation may alternatively be written (Witt,1990) in complex variable notation with $`z=x+iy`$ and $`\overline{z}=xiy`$ as :

$$z_iz_s=\underset{l=1}{\overset{n}{}}m_l(z_iz_l)/|z_iz_l|^2=\underset{l=1}{\overset{n}{}}m_l/(\overline{z}_i\overline{z}_l)$$

## 3 Image amplification

Since the intensity of radiation is invariant along a ray the brightness of the lensed source relative to that of the unlensed source (the magnification or amplification) is the ratio of the areas or solid angles subtended at the observer, given by $`A=J^1`$, where $`J`$ is the Jacobian (determinant) of the transformation mapping $`\stackrel{}{r}_i`$ into $`\stackrel{}{r}_s`$ :

$$J=|\stackrel{}{r}_s/\stackrel{}{r}_i|=|(x_s,y_s)/(x_i,y_i)|=|\delta _{xy}a_{xy}|$$

with $`a_{xx}=a_{yy}`$, $`a_{xy}=a_{yx}`$ and :

$$a_{xx}=\underset{l}{}m_l\rho _l^4(\eta _l^2\xi _l^2);a_{xy}=2\underset{l}{}m_l\rho _l^4\xi _l\eta _l$$

where $`\xi _l=x_ix_l`$, $`\eta _l=y_iy_l`$, and $`\rho _l=r_{il}`$. Then :

$$J=(1a_{xx})(1+a_{xx})a_{xy}^2=1a_{xx}^2a_{xy}^2=1K$$

$$K=[\underset{l}{}m_l\rho _l^4(\eta _l^2\xi _l^2)]^2+[2\underset{l}{}m_l\rho _l^4\xi _l\eta _l]^2$$

Writing $`K=K_1+K_2`$, expanding each term, and separating the ’diagonal’ and ’non-diagonal’ parts of each, gives $`K_1=K_{11}+K_{12}`$ and $`K_2=K_{21}+K_{22}`$ where :

$$K_{11}=\underset{l}{}[m_l\rho _l^4(\eta _l^2\xi _l^2)]^2;K_{21}=\underset{l}{}[2m_l\rho _l^4\xi _l\eta _l]^2$$

$$K_{12}=2\underset{jk}{}\underset{k}{}m_jm_k\rho _j^4\rho _k^4(\eta _j^2\xi _j^2)(\eta _k^2\xi _k^2)$$

$$K_{22}=8\underset{jk}{}\underset{k}{}m_jm_k\rho _j^4\rho _k^4\xi _j\eta _j\xi _k\eta _k$$

Adding the ’diagonal’ terms $`K_{11}`$ and $`K_{21}`$ gives :

$$K_3=[\underset{l}{}m_l\rho _l^2]^22\underset{jk}{}\underset{k}{}m_jm_k\rho _j^2\rho _k^2=K_{31}+K_{32}$$

where $`K_{32}`$ may also be written :

$$K_{32}=2\underset{jk}{}\underset{k}{}m_jm_k\rho _j^4\rho _k^4(\xi _j^2+\eta _j^2)(\xi _k^2+\eta _k^2)$$

It then follows that :

$$K_{12}+K_{32}=4\underset{jk}{}\underset{k}{}m_jm_k\rho _j^4\rho _k^4[\xi _j^2\eta _k^2+\xi _k^2\eta _j^2]$$

whereupon, adding the remaining ’non-diagonal’ term $`K_{22}`$ gives $`K_4=K_{12}+K_{22}+K_{32}`$ with :

$$K_4=4\underset{jk}{}\underset{k}{}m_jm_k\rho _j^4\rho _k^4[\xi _j\eta _k\xi _k\eta _j]^2$$

so that finally $`K=K_{31}+K_4`$ or :

$$K=[\underset{l}{}m_l\rho _l^2]^24\underset{jk}{}\underset{k}{}m_jm_k\rho _j^4\rho _k^4[\xi _j\eta _k\xi _k\eta _j]^2$$

The same result may naturally be obtained, perhaps more easily, from the complex variable formulation of the lens equation. There it may be shown (Witt,1990) that :

$$J=(z_s/z_i)^2|z_s/\overline{z}_i|^2=1|\underset{l}{}m_l\overline{\zeta }_l^2|^2$$

where $`\zeta _l=z_iz_l`$ and $`\rho _l=|\zeta _l|`$. Thus, with $`K=J1`$ :

$$K=[\underset{j}{}m_j\zeta _j^2][\underset{k}{}m_k\overline{\zeta }_k^2]=\underset{j}{}\underset{k}{}m_jm_k[\zeta _j\overline{\zeta }_k]^2$$

Expanding and separating the ’diagonal’ and ’non-diagonal’ parts gives $`K=K_5+K_6`$ with :

$$K_5=\underset{l}{}m_l^2\rho _l^4=[\underset{l}{}m_l\rho _l^2]^22\underset{jk}{}\underset{k}{}m_jm_k\rho _j^2\rho _k^2$$

$$K_6=\underset{jk}{}\underset{k}{}m_jm_k[\zeta _j^2\overline{\zeta }_k^2+\zeta _k^2\overline{\zeta }_j^2]$$

Putting $`K_5=K_{51}+K_{52}`$, where $`K_{51}=K_{31}`$, the second term $`K_{52}`$ may be rewritten :

$$K_{52}=2\underset{jk}{}\underset{k}{}m_jm_k\rho _j^4\rho _k^4[\zeta _j\overline{\zeta }_j\zeta _k\overline{\zeta }_k]=K_{32}$$

while $`K_6`$ may be rewritten as :

$$K_6=\underset{jk}{}\underset{k}{}m_jm_k\rho _j^4\rho _k^4[\overline{\zeta }_j^2\zeta _k^2+\zeta _j^2\overline{\zeta }_k^2]$$

Now adding the ’non-diagonal’ terms $`K_{52}`$ and $`K_6`$ gives :

$$K_7=\underset{jk}{}\underset{k}{}m_jm_k\rho _j^4\rho _k^4[\overline{\zeta }_j\zeta _k\zeta _j\overline{\zeta }_k]^2=K_4$$

since $`[\overline{\zeta }_j\zeta _k\zeta _j\overline{\zeta }_k]=2i[\eta _j\xi _k\xi _j\eta _k]`$ thus giving the result $`K=K_{51}+K_7=K_{31}+K_4`$ as before. It may be remarked here that $`[\xi _j\eta _k\xi _k\eta _j]=[\stackrel{}{r}_{ij}\times \stackrel{}{r}_{ik}]`$ so that :

$$K_4=4\underset{jk}{}\underset{k}{}m_jm_k[_i(r_{ij}^1)\times _i(r_{ik}^1)]^2$$

where the two-dimensional gradient $`_i=/\stackrel{}{r}_i`$.

## 4 The general binary lens

In the case $`n=2`$ the double summation reduces to a single term with $`j=1,k=2`$ giving :

$$J=1[m_1\rho _1^2+m_2\rho _2^2]^2+4m_1m_2\rho _1^4\rho _2^4[C_{12}]^2$$

where $`C_{12}=[\xi _1\eta _2\xi _2\eta _1]`$ now reduces to :

$$C_{12}=[(x_1y_2x_2y_1)+x_i(y_1y_2)y_i(x_1x_2)]$$

which may be simplified by an appropriate choice of co-ordinates. Taking the origin anywhere on the line joining the two masses, then $`y_1/x_1=y_2/x_2`$ and $`x_1y_2x_2y_1=0`$ gives $`C_{12}=[(x_2x_1)y_i(y_2y_1)x_i]`$ which is the same function of $`x_i`$ and $`y_i`$ for given values of $`x_2x_1=2x_0`$ and $`y_2y_1=2y_0`$, namely $`C_{12}=2[x_0y_iy_0x_i]`$. The further simplification of setting $`y_0=0`$, so that the x-axis lies along the line joining the two masses, with $`y_1=y_2=0`$, gives $`C_{12}=2x_0y_i`$. There still remains the choice of the value of $`x_1`$ or $`x_2`$, for which there are three ’natural’ possibilities : Case (a) - Origin mid-way between the masses with $`x_1=x_0,x_2=+x_0`$; Case (b) - Origin at mass $`M_1`$ with $`x_1=0,x_2=+2x_0`$; Case (c) - Origin at mass $`M_2`$ with $`x_1=2x_0,x_2=0`$.

### 4.1 The critical curves

The critical curves, or loci of infinite amplification, are given by the condition $`J=0`$, which on rationalising takes the form $`D_{12}=0`$ with :

$$D_{12}=\rho _1^4\rho _2^4J=\rho _1^4\rho _2^4[m_1\rho _2^2+m_2\rho _1^2]^2+16m_1m_2x_0^2y_i^2$$

in agreement with Schneider & Weiss (1986). Adopting plane polar co-ordinates $`\stackrel{}{r}_i=(r_i,\theta _i)`$, then $`D_{12}=_ma_m\mathrm{cos}^m(\theta _i)`$ where the coefficients $`a_m`$ depend on the choice of origin :

Case (a) - $`\stackrel{}{r}_i=(r_0,\theta _0)`$ :

$$a_0=(r_0^2+x_0^2)^4(r_0^2+x_0^2)^2(m_1+m_2)^2+16m_1m_2r_0^2x_0^2$$

$$a_1=4r_0x_0(r_0^2+x_0^2)(m_1^2m_2^2)$$

$$a_2=4r_0^2x_0^2[2(r_0^2+x_0^2)^2+(m_1+m_2)^2]$$

$$a_3=0;a_4=16r_0^4x_0^4$$

In the symmetric case where $`m_1=m_2=1/2`$, $`a_1=0`$, the term in $`\mathrm{cos}\theta _i`$ drops out, and the equation reduces to a quadratic equation in $`\mathrm{cos}^2\theta _i`$, as given by Equation 9a of Schneider & Weiss (1986), with the solution :

$$\mathrm{cos}^2\theta _0=[1+2(r_0^2+x_0^2)^2+\{1+8(r_0^4+x_0^4)\}^{1/2}]/(8r_0^2x_0^2)$$

Case (b) - $`\stackrel{}{r}_i=(r_1,\theta _1)`$, with $`r_1=\rho _1`$ :

$$a_0=(r_1^2+4x_0^2)^2(r_1^4m_1^2)2r_1^2(r_1^2+4x_0^2)m_1m_2$$

$$+16r_1^2x_0^2m_1m_2r_1^4m_2^2$$

$$a_1=8r_1x_0[r_1^2m_1m_2(r_1^2+4x_0^2)(r_1^4m_1^2)]$$

$$a_2=16r_1^2x_0^2[r_1^4m_1^2m_1m_2]$$

Case (c) - $`\stackrel{}{r}_i=(r_2,\theta _2)`$, with $`r_2=\rho _2`$ :

$$a_0=(r_2^2+4x_0^2)^2(r_2^4m_2^2)2r_2^2(r_2^2+4x_0^2)m_1m_2$$

$$+16r_2^2x_0^2m_1m_2r_2^4m_1^2$$

$$a_1=8r_2x_0[(r_2^2+4x_0^2)(r_2^4m_2^2)r_2^2m_1m_2]$$

$$a_2=16r_2^2x_0^2[r_2^4m_2^2m_1m_2]$$

from which it will be evident that Case (b) and Case (c) are equivalent with respect to the interchange of the labels 1 and 2 together with the change of sign of $`x_0`$. Both therefore correct several errors in Equation 9b of Schneider and Weiss (1986), after allowing for their relative disposition of the binary masses. In the limit $`x_0=0`$ the equations for all three cases degenerate to $`r_i^4(m_1+m_2)^2=0`$, giving $`r_i=(m_1+m_2)^{1/2}`$, so that the critical curve is the Einstein Ring for the combined masses of the binary. On the other hand in the limit $`x_0=\mathrm{}`$, where either $`\rho _1=\mathrm{}`$ or $`\rho _2=\mathrm{}`$, the condition $`J=0`$ reduces to $`\rho _l^4m_l^2=0,(l=1,2)`$, with the solution $`\rho _l=m_l^{1/2}`$ representing the now detached Einstein Rings around each mass.