A small mass, large image separation gravitational lens model

Abstract

It is shown that gravitational lensing could produce images of comparable brightness which are separated by an angular distance larger than the angular size of the Einstein ring of the lens distribution. Hence, specific lens configurations allow given image separations to be derived with significantly less mass than a standard single lens model. A specific example is supplied, a simple case of two properly positioned lenses acting instead of one. Observational consequences are discussed that would result if such a model was used to explain the candidate gravitational lens systems Hazard 1146+111 B, C and PKS 1145−071. Such a lens distribution might, in many cases, be verifiable with VLBI techniques.