For the first time, scientists have used data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to uncover a new phenomenon called the “Einstein zig-zag.” This discovery came about while analyzing six mirror images of a single gravitationally lensed quasar in the distant cosmos. Initially, astronomers thought they were looking at four mirror images of a single quasar named J1721+8842. However, further studies revealed two additional points of light alongside the original quartet, leading researchers to suspect the presence of a binary quasar that had been duplicated three times.
A recent study reanalyzed the data using new information from the JWST and found that all six points of light actually originate from a single quasar. This new lensing configuration has been named an “Einstein zig-zag” because the light from the double-lensed bright spots appears to swerve back and forth around two lensing galaxies. This rare configuration could provide valuable insights into the rate of cosmic expansion and the role of dark energy in driving this expansion.
Gravitationally lensed objects like Einstein rings are important to astronomers as they can help determine the mass of lensing galaxies and provide clues about dark matter and dark energy. The JWST has been instrumental in discovering such objects in parts of the universe that were previously unexplored. However, the telescope has also revealed discrepancies in the rate of cosmic expansion, known as the Hubble tension.
The newly confirmed Einstein zig-zag configuration could potentially help resolve the Hubble tension by allowing astronomers to measure both the Hubble constant and the amount of dark energy in the region accurately. This information is crucial for a better understanding of cosmic expansion. Researchers believe that studying the Einstein zig-zag could shed light on whether the expansion rate of the universe aligns with the current cosmological model. However, resolving the figures needed from the complex images may take more than a year.
In conclusion, the discovery of the “Einstein zig-zag” phenomenon using data from the JWST opens up new possibilities for understanding cosmic expansion, dark energy, and the mass of lensing galaxies. This rare lensing configuration has the potential to provide valuable insights into unresolved questions in cosmology and could help reconcile discrepancies in current models of the universe’s evolution.
