Quasar Lensing Caused by Clusters of Galaxies in Various Cosmological Models

Abstract

About 33% of the observed lensed quasars have separation angles larger than 3''. To theoretically reproduce this observational fact, we investigate the statistics of quasar lensing due to clusters of galaxies, in various cosmological models including a super-horizon-scale inhomogeneous model. By calculating the expected number of lensed quasars and comparing it with the observed number in the Hubble Space Telescope snapshot survey, it is found that a reasonable number of lensed quasars with such large separation angles can be obtained in the cosmological-constant-dominant low-density models and the super-horizon-scale inhomogeneous models with a low-density inner region. From the standpoint of lens statistics due to clusters of galaxies, it is concluded that these cosmological models are better, in contrast to the previous results in the galactic lens models.