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arXiv · 1401.2463

Microlens Masses From Astrometry and Parallax in Space-Based Surveys: From Planets to Black Holes

Andrew Gould·Jennifer C. Yee
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Abstract

We show that space-based microlensing experiments can recover lens masses and distances for a large fraction of all events (those with individual photometric errors <~ 0.01 mag) using a combination of one-dimensional microlens parallaxes and astrometric microlensing. This will provide a powerful probe of the mass distributions of planets, black holes, and neutron stars, the distribution of planets as a function of Galactic environment, and the velocity distributions of black holes and neutron stars. While systematics are in principle a significant concern, we show that it is possible to vet against all systematics (known and unknown) using single-epoch precursor observations with the Hubble Space Telescope roughly 10 years before the space mission.

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Andrew Gould, Jennifer C. Yee. 2014-01-10. Microlens Masses From Astrometry and Parallax in Space-Based Surveys: From Planets to Black Holes. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637x/784/1/64

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