Abstract:

Quantifying the radial density profile in elliptical galaxies is a key test of galaxy-formation theories. Strong gravitational lensing offers the most direct means of measuring mass at intermediate radii in ellipticals, where luminous and dark matter are expected to make comparable contributions to the total density. However, the scientific utility of strong lensing for this purpose is limited by the small number of known elliptical lenses. In addition, the light of bright, multiply-imaged lensed quasars can make it difficult or impossible to measure the shapes, colors, and stellar kinematics of lens galaxies. I will describe a new survey that combines the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, Hubble Space Telescope, and ground- based integral-field spectroscopy to overcome these limitations by discovering many new lenses that are amenable to detailed photometric and dynamical observation. TBA