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AtLAST -- A five fold increase in the number of identified Strongly Lensed Galaxies in the sub-millimetre and its consequences

Joaquín González-Nuevo, Laura Bonavera, Juan Alberto Cano, David Crespo, Rebeca Fernández-Fernández, Valentina Franco, Marcos M. Cueli, José Manuel Casas, Tom J. L. C. Bakx

TL;DR

This paper argues that thousands of strongly lensed submillimeter galaxies are essential to unlock precision cosmology, dark matter tests, and detailed studies of high-redshift dusty star-forming galaxies, but current SLG samples are too small and heterogeneous. It advocates a next-generation wide-area sub-mm survey and identifies AtLAST as uniquely capable due to its $50$-m aperture, $2^\circ$ field of view, and broad $30$–$950$ GHz coverage, enabling identification of ~∼5000 SLGs via magnification bias and high-resolution lens modeling. The authors quantify the scientific payoff in terms of tighter constraints on $\Omega_\Lambda$ and $w$, probes of dark matter substructure down to $10^8$–$10^9$ M$_\odot$, and unprecedented insights into DSFGs at $z \simeq 2$–$4$, while highlighting the technology and sustainability innovations required. Overall, AtLAST is framed as the feasible path to harness strong lensing for transformative cosmology, DM physics, and galaxy evolution.

Abstract

Strong gravitational lensing is a powerful probe of cosmology, dark matter (DM), and high-redshift galaxy evolution, but current samples of strongly lensed galaxies (SLGs) remain far too small to exploit its full potential. $\textit{Herschel}$'s submillimeter (submm) surveys demonstrated that submm selection provides the most efficient and least biased route to identifying high-redshift SLGs, yet produced only a few hundred systems over limited, heterogeneous fields. Achieving the thousands of SLGs required for precision cosmology and detailed studies of distant dusty star-forming galaxies demands a new, wide-area, homogeneous sub-mm survey. A facility like AtLAST, capable of extending $\textit{Herschel}$-like methodologies to much larger areas, is uniquely positioned to deliver the order-of-magnitude increase in SLG numbers needed for transformative progress.

AtLAST -- A five fold increase in the number of identified Strongly Lensed Galaxies in the sub-millimetre and its consequences

TL;DR

This paper argues that thousands of strongly lensed submillimeter galaxies are essential to unlock precision cosmology, dark matter tests, and detailed studies of high-redshift dusty star-forming galaxies, but current SLG samples are too small and heterogeneous. It advocates a next-generation wide-area sub-mm survey and identifies AtLAST as uniquely capable due to its -m aperture, field of view, and broad – GHz coverage, enabling identification of ~∼5000 SLGs via magnification bias and high-resolution lens modeling. The authors quantify the scientific payoff in terms of tighter constraints on and , probes of dark matter substructure down to – M, and unprecedented insights into DSFGs at –, while highlighting the technology and sustainability innovations required. Overall, AtLAST is framed as the feasible path to harness strong lensing for transformative cosmology, DM physics, and galaxy evolution.

Abstract

Strong gravitational lensing is a powerful probe of cosmology, dark matter (DM), and high-redshift galaxy evolution, but current samples of strongly lensed galaxies (SLGs) remain far too small to exploit its full potential. 's submillimeter (submm) surveys demonstrated that submm selection provides the most efficient and least biased route to identifying high-redshift SLGs, yet produced only a few hundred systems over limited, heterogeneous fields. Achieving the thousands of SLGs required for precision cosmology and detailed studies of distant dusty star-forming galaxies demands a new, wide-area, homogeneous sub-mm survey. A facility like AtLAST, capable of extending -like methodologies to much larger areas, is uniquely positioned to deliver the order-of-magnitude increase in SLG numbers needed for transformative progress.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 3 sections, 1 figure.

Table of Contents

  1. Scientific context and motivation
  2. Science case
  3. Technical requirements

Figures (1)

  • Figure 1: Three views of the strongly lensed galaxy SDP.81: foreground lens and faint Einstein ring (left), sharp ALMA image of the ring (centre), and lens‑model reconstruction (right) revealing multiple cold dust clouds where stars and planets are forming. Credit: ALMA (NRAO/ESO/NAOJ)/Y. Tamura (The University of Tokyo)/Mark Swinbank (Durham University)