Microlens Mass Measurement using Triple-Peak Events

Abstract

We show that one can measure the effects of microlens parallax for binary microlensing events with three well-measured peaks -- two caustic crossings plus a cusp approach, and hence derive the projected Einstein radius. Since the angular Einstein radius is measurable from finite source effects for almost any well-observed caustic crossing, triple-peak events can yield the determination of the lens mass. We note that, to a certain extent, rotation of the binary can mimic the effects of parallax, but it should often be possible to disentangle parallax from rotation by making use of the late-time light curve.

revised version (abstract re-written, section 2 expanded), to appear in the Astrophysical Journal Letters