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The CFHTLS Strong Lensing Legacy Survey: I. Survey overview and T0002 release sample

R. A. Cabanac·C. Alard·M. Dantel-Fort·B. Fort·R. Gavazzi·P. Gomez·J. P. Kneib·O. Le Fevre·Y. Mellier·R. Pello·G. Soucail·J. F. Sygnet·D. Valls-Gabaud
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Abstract

AIMS: We present data from the CFHTLS Strong Lensing Legacy Survey (SL2S). Due to the unsurpassed combined depth, area and image quality of the Canada-France-Hawaii Legacy Survey it is becoming possible to uncover a large, statistically well-defined sample of strong gravitational lenses which spans the dark halo mass spectrum predicted by the concordance model from galaxy to cluster haloes. METHODS: We describe the development of several automated procedures to find strong lenses of various mass regimes in CFHTLS images. RESULTS: The preliminary sample of about 40 strong lensing candidates discovered in the CFHTLS T0002 release, covering an effective field of view of 28 deg$^2$ is presented. These strong lensing systems were discovered using an automated search and consist mainly of gravitational arc systems with splitting angles between 2 and 15 arcsec. This sample shows for the first time that it is possible to uncover a large population of strong lenses from galaxy groups with typical halo masses of about $10^{13}h^{-1}M_\odot$. We discuss the future evolution of the SL2S project and its main scientific aims for the next 3 years, in particular our observational strategy to extract the hundreds of gravitational rings also present in these fields.

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R. A. Cabanac, C. Alard, M. Dantel-Fort, B. Fort, R. Gavazzi, P. Gomez, J. P. Kneib, O. Le Fevre, Y. Mellier, R. Pello, G. Soucail, J. F. Sygnet, D. Valls-Gabaud. 2006-10-12. The CFHTLS Strong Lensing Legacy Survey: I. Survey overview and T0002 release sample. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361%3A20065810

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