Chandra Observations of QSO 2237+0305

Abstract

We present the observations of the gravitationally lensed system QSO 2237+0305 performed with the Chandra X-ray Observatory on 2000 Sept. 6, and on 2001 Dec. 8 for 30.3 ks and 9.5 ks, respectively. Imaging analysis resolves the four X-ray images of the Einstein Cross. A possible fifth image is detected; however, this detection less certain. Fits to the combined spectrum of all images of the Einstein Cross assuming a simple power law with Galactic and intervening absorption at the lensing galaxy yield a photon index of 1.90(+0.05,-0.05). For the first observation, this spectral model yields a 0.4-8.0 keV X-ray flux of 4.6e-13 erg cm-2 s-1 and a 0.4-8.0 keV lensed luminosity of 1.0e46 erg s-1. The source exhibits variability both over long and short time scales. The X-ray flux has dropped by 20% between the two observations, and the K-S test showed that image A is variable at the 97% confidence level within the first observation. Furthermore, a possible time-delay of 2.7(+0.5,-0.9) hours between images A and B with image A leading is detected in the first observation. The X-ray flux ratios of the images are consistent with the optical flux ratios which are affected by microlensing suggesting that the X-ray emission is also microlensed. A comparison between our measured column densities and those inferred from extinction measurements suggests a higher dust-to-gas ratio in the lensing galaxy than the average value of our Galaxy. Finally, we report the detection at the 99.99% confidence level of a broad emission feature near the redshifted energy of the Fe Kαline in only the spectrum of image A. The rest frame energy, width, and equivalent width of this feature are E = 5.7(+0.2,-0.3) keV, sigma = 0.87(+0.30,-0.15) keV, and EW = 1200(+300,-200) eV, respectively.

21 pages including 7 tables and 5 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ