Gaia GraL: Gaia DR2 Gravitational Lens Systems. VII. XMM-Newton Observations of Lensed Quasars

Abstract

Abstract We present XMM-Newton X-ray observations of nine confirmed lensed quasars at 1 ≲ z ≲ 3 identified by the Gaia Gravitational Lens program. Eight systems are strongly detected, with 0.3–8.0 keV fluxes F 0.3−8.0 ≳ 5 ×10−14 erg cm−2 s−1. Modeling the X-ray spectra with an absorbed power law, we derive power-law photon indices and 2–10 keV luminosities for the eight detected quasars. In addition to presenting sample properties for larger quasar population studies and for use in planning for future caustic-crossing events, we also identify three quasars of interest: a quasar that shows evidence of flux variability from previous ROSAT observations, the most closely separated individual lensed sources resolved by XMM-Newton, and one of the X-ray brightest quasars known at z > 3. These sources represent the tip of the discoveries that will be enabled by SRG/eROSITA.