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Anna Nierenberg

Publications and source records attributed to Anna Nierenberg.

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HST imaging, pipeline modeling, and time-delay predictions of 2 triply-imaged and 15 quadruply-imaged lensed quasars

The Hubble tension remains a significant challenge in modern cosmology, exhibiting a discrepancy between early-Universe cosmic microwave background measurements and local distance ladder observations. Strong lensing time-delay cosmography provides an independent, geometric probe of $H_0$ that can help resolve this discrepancy. Although hundreds of lensed quasars have been discovered, only a handful have been analyzed due to the resource-intensive follow-up required to measure precise time delays and break degeneracies. We present uniform gravitational lens modeling of 17 recently discovered lensed quasar systems (2 triply-imaged and 15 quadruply-imaged) to identify and prioritize the most promising candidates for future cosmological study. Using high-resolution near-infrared Hubble Space Telescope WFC3/IR F160W imaging (PID: 17916, PI: T. Treu), we perform uniform pipeline modeling with Lenstronomy. We constrain the mass and light profiles of the deflector galaxies, and assuming a fiducial cosmology, we predict their Fermat potential differences and expected time delays. Our pipeline successfully yields models and time-delay predictions for all 17 systems. Assuming ideal monitoring conditions, we estimate the total contribution from time-delay and Fermat potential modeling errors to the time-delay distance. From this, we classify the systems by estimated time-delay distance uncertainties: six "excellent" ($\leq 3\%$), five "good" ($3\%$-$7\%$), three "suitable" ($7\%$-$12\%$), and three "impractical" ($>12\%$). We recommend prioritizing follow-up campaigns on the 11 "excellent" and "good" systems, which have the potential to deliver high-precision, independent constraints on $H_0$ to help resolve the Hubble tension.

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Astrophysical Tests of Dark Matter Self-Interactions

Self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) arises generically in scenarios for physics beyond the Standard Model that have dark sectors with light mediators or strong dynamics. The self-interactions allow energy and momentum transport through halos, altering their structure and dynamics relative to those produced by collisionless dark matter. SIDM models provide a promising way to explain the diversity of galactic rotation curves, and they form a predictive and versatile framework for interpreting astrophysical phenomena related to dark matter. This review provides a comprehensive explanation of the physical effects of dark matter self-interactions in objects ranging from galactic satellites (dark and luminous) to clusters of galaxies and the large-scale structure. The second major part describes the methods used to constrain SIDM models including current constraints, with the aim of advancing tests with upcoming galaxy surveys. This part also provides a detailed review of the unresolved small-scale structure formation issues and concrete ways to test simple SIDM models. The review is rounded off by a discussion of the theoretical motivation for self-interactions, degeneracies with baryonic and gravitational effects, extensions to the single-component elastic-interactions SIDM framework, and future observational and theoretical prospects.

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Joint Semi-Analytic Multipole Priors from Galaxy Isophotes and Constraints from Lensed Arcs

Flux-ratio anomalies in quadruply imaged quasars are sensitive to the imprint of low-mass dark-matter haloes. The reliability of detection depends on the robustness of the smooth mass model. Optical surveys show that massive early-type galaxies similar to galaxy-scale gravitational lenses depart from perfect ellipticity, exhibiting $m=3$ and $m=4$ multipole distortions. We construct the semi-analytic, five-dimensional joint population prior for the $m=3$ and $m=4$ amplitude and orientation as well as the axis ratio of the deflector, calibrated on the sample of 840 SDSS E/S0 galaxies. The parameters are fitted via hierarchical Bayesian modeling, minimizing a joint Jensen-Shannon divergence between model and data. We use this prior to model the mass distribution of mock lenses with HST quality data with different multipole amplitudes. We find that we robustly measure the true multipole amplitudes and orientations. Compared to fits that use only the four point-image positions, adding the lensed host-galaxy arcs tightens the 68 % credible regions of multipole parameters by factors of 3-12 and reduces the predicted flux-ratio uncertainties by a mean factor of ~6. This analysis does not include substructure or a complex source, and thus can be considered an upper limit on the expected improvement. The combination of arc information and realistic multipole priors therefore yields an order-of-magnitude improvement in smooth mass model precision, paving the way for more robust measurements of dark-matter substructure.

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Dark Matter Substructure: A Lensing Perspective

The study of dark matter substructure through strong gravitational lensing has shown enormous promise in probing the properties of dark matter on sub-galactic scales. This approach has already been used to place strong constraints on a wide range of dark matter models including self-interacting dark matter, fuzzy dark matter and warm dark matter. A major source of degeneracy exists between suppression of low mass halos due to novel dark matter physics and the strength of tidal stripping experienced by subhalos. We study theoretical predictions for the statistical properties of subhalos in strong gravitational lenses using the semi-analytic galaxy formation toolkit: galacticus. We present a large suite of dark matter only galacticus models, spanning nearly two orders of magnitude in host halo mass (from Milky Way to group mass halos between redshifts from $0.2$ to $0.8$). Additionally, we include a smaller set of galacticus runs with the potential of a central massive elliptical to complement our dark matter only suite of models. We place particular focus on quantities relevant to strong gravitational lensing; namely the projected number density of substructure near the Einstein radius as function of host stellar mass and redshift. In the innermost region in projection, we find that our galacticus models agrees with N-body simulations within a factor of $\sim 2$ within the Einstein radius. We find that the addition of a central galaxy suppresses the projected number density of subhalos within in the Einstein radius by around $15\%$ relative to dark matter only simulations.

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Turbocharging constraints on dark matter substructure through a synthesis of strong lensing flux ratios and extended lensed arcs

Strong gravitational lensing provides a purely gravitational means to infer properties of dark matter halos and thereby constrain the particle nature of dark matter. Strong lenses sometimes appear as four lensed images of a background quasar accompanied by spatially-resolved emission from the quasar host galaxy encircling the main deflector (lensed arcs). We present methodology to simultaneously reconstruct lensed arcs and relative image magnifications (flux ratios) in the presence of full populations of subhalos and line-of-sight halos. To this end, we develop a new approach for multi-plane ray tracing that accelerates lens mass and source light reconstruction by factors of $\sim 100-1000$. Using simulated data, we show that simultaneous reconstruction of lensed arcs and flux ratios isolates small-scale perturbations to flux ratios by dark matter substructure from uncertainties associated with the main deflector mass profile on larger angular scales. Relative to analyses that use only image positions and flux ratios to constrain the lens model, incorporating arcs strengthens likelihood ratios penalizing warm dark matter (WDM) with a suppression scale $m_{\rm{hm}} / M_{\odot}$ in the range $\left[10^7 - 10^{7.5}\right]$, $\left[10^{7.5} - 10^{8}\right]$, $\left[10^8 - 10^{8.5}\right]$, $\left[10^{8.5} - 10^{9}\right]$ by factors of $1.3$, $2.5$, $5.6$, and $13.1$, respectively, for a cold dark matter (CDM) ground truth. The $95\%$ exclusion limit improves by 0.5 dex in $\log_{10} m_{\rm{hm}}$. The enhanced sensitivity to low-mass halos enabled by these methods pushes the observational frontier of substructure lensing to the threshold of galaxy formation, enabling stringent tests of any theory that alters the properties of dark matter halos.

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An analytic surface density profile for $Λ$CDM halos and gravitational lensing studies

We introduce an analytic surface density profile for dark matter halos that accurately reproduces the structure of simulated halos of mass $M_{\rm vir} = 10^{7-11}\ M_\odot$, making it useful for modeling line-of-sight perturbers in strong gravitational lensing models. The two-parameter function has an analytic deflection potential and is more accurate than the projected Navarro, Frenk & White (NFW) profile commonly adopted at this mass scale for perturbers, especially at the small radii of most relevant for lensing perturbations. Using a characteristic radius, $R_{-1}$, where the log slope of surface density is equal to $-1$, and an associated surface density, $Σ_{-1}$, we can represent the expected lensing signal from line-of-sight halos statistically, for an ensemble of halo orientations, using a distribution of {\em projected concentration} parameters, $\mathcal{C}_{\rm vir} := r_{\rm vir}/ R_{-1}$. Though an individual halo can have a projected concentration that varies with orientation with respect to the observer, the range of projected concentrations correlates with the usual three-dimensional halo concentration in a way that enables ease of use.

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GraL spectroscopic identification of multiply imaged quasars

Gravitational lensing is proven to be one of the most efficient tools for studying the Universe. The spectral confirmation of such sources requires extensive calibration. This paper discusses the spectral extraction technique for the case of multiple source spectra being very near each other. Using the masking technique, we first detect high Signal-to-Noise (S/N) peaks in the CCD spectral image corresponding to the location of the source spectra. This technique computes the cumulative signal using a weighted sum, yielding a reliable approximation for the total counts contributed by each source spectrum. We then proceed with the subtraction of the contaminating spectra. Applying this method, we confirm the nature of 11 lensed quasar candidates.

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The primordial matter power spectrum on sub-galactic scales

The primordial matter power spectrum quantifies fluctuations in the distribution of dark matter immediately following inflation. Over cosmic time, over-dense regions of the primordial density field grow and collapse into dark matter halos, whose abundance and density profiles retain memory of the initial conditions. By analyzing the image magnifications in eleven strongly-lensed and quadruply-imaged quasars, we infer the abundance and concentrations of low-mass halos, and cast the measurement in terms of the amplitude of the primordial matter power spectrum. We anchor the power spectrum on large scales, isolating the effect of small-scale deviations from the $Λ$CDM prediction. Assuming an analytic model for the power spectrum and accounting for several sources of potential systematic uncertainty, including three different models for the halo mass function, we obtain correlated inferences of $\log_{10}\left(P / P_{Λ\rm{CDM}}\right)$, the power spectrum amplitude relative to the predictions of the concordance cosmological model, of $0.0_{-0.4}^{+0.5}$, $0.1_{-0.6}^{+0.7}$, and $0.2_{-0.9}^{+1.0}$ at k = 10, 25 and 50 $\rm{Mpc^{-1}}$ at $68 \%$ confidence, consistent with cold dark matter and single-field slow-roll inflation.

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

We present XMM-Newton X-ray observations of nine confirmed lensed quasars at $1 \lesssim z \lesssim 3$ identified by the Gaia Gravitational Lens program. Eight systems are strongly detected, with 0.3--8.0 keV fluxes $F_{0.3-8.0} \gtrsim 5 \times 10^{-14}\ {\rm erg}\ {\rm cm}^{-2}\ {\rm s}^{-1}$. 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 discovery that will be enabled by SRG/eROSITA.

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Strong lensing signatures of self-interacting dark matter in low-mass halos

Core formation and runaway core collapse in models with self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) significantly alter the central density profiles of collapsed halos. Using a forward modeling inference framework with simulated datasets, we demonstrate that flux ratios in quadruple image strong gravitational lenses can detect the unique structural properties of SIDM halos, and statistically constrain the amplitude and velocity dependence of the interaction cross section in halos with masses between $10^6 - 10^{10} M_{\odot}$. Measurements on these scales probe self-interactions at velocities below $30 \ \rm{km} \ \rm{s^{-1}}$, a relatively unexplored regime of parameter space, complimenting constraints at higher velocities from galaxies and clusters. We cast constraints on the amplitude and velocity dependence of the interaction cross section in terms of $σ_{20}$, the cross section amplitude at $20 \ \rm{km} \ \rm{s^{-1}}$. With 50 lenses, a sample size available in the near future, and flux ratios measured from spatially compact mid-IR emission around the background quasar, we forecast $σ_{20} < 11-23 \ \rm{cm^2} \rm{g^{-1}}$ at $95 \%$ CI, depending on the amplitude of the subhalo mass function, and assuming cold dark matter (CDM). Alternatively, if $σ_{20} = 19.2 \ \rm{cm^2}\rm{g^{-1}}$ we can rule out CDM with a likelihood ratio of 20:1, assuming an amplitude of the subhalo mass function that results from doubly-efficient tidal disruption in the Milky Way relative to massive elliptical galaxies. These results demonstrate that strong lensing of compact, unresolved sources can constrain SIDM structure on sub-galactic scales across cosmological distances, and the evolution of SIDM density profiles over several Gyr of cosmic time.

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The End of Galaxy Surveys

For nearly a century, imaging and spectroscopic surveys of galaxies have given us information about the contents of the universe. We attempt to define the logical endpoint of such surveys by defining not the next galaxy survey, but the final galaxy survey at NIR wavelengths; this would be the galaxy survey that exhausts the information content useful for addressing extant questions. Such a survey would require incredible advances in a number of technologies and the survey details will depend on the as yet poorly constrained properties of the earliest galaxies. Using an exposure time calculator, we define nominal surveys for extracting the useful information for three science cases: dark energy cosmology, galaxy evolution, and supernovae. We define scaling relations that trade off sky background, telescope aperture, and focal plane size to allow for a survey of a given depth over a given area. For optimistic assumptions, a 280m telescope with a marginally resolved focal plane of 20 deg$^2$ operating at L2 could potentially exhaust the cosmological information content of galaxies in a 10 year survey. For galaxy evolution (making use of gravitational lensing to magnify the earliest galaxies) and SN, the same telescope would suffice. We discuss the technological advances needed to complete the last galaxy survey. While the final galaxy survey remains well outside of our technical reach today, we present scaling relations that show how we can progress toward the goal of exhausting the information content encoded in the shapes, positions, and colors of galaxies.

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Warm dark matter chills out: constraints on the halo mass function and the free-streaming length of dark matter with 8 quadruple-image strong gravitational lenses

The free-streaming length of dark matter depends on fundamental dark matter physics, and determines the abundance and concentration of dark matter halos on sub-galactic scales. Using the image positions and flux ratios from eight quadruply-imaged quasars, we constrain the free-streaming length of dark matter and the amplitude of the subhalo mass function (SHMF). We model both main deflector subhalos and halos along the line of sight, and account for warm dark matter (WDM) free-streaming effects on the mass function and mass-concentration relation. By calibrating the scaling of the SHMF with host halo mass and redshift using a suite of simulated halos, we infer a global normalization for the SHMF. We account for finite-size background sources, and marginalize over the mass profile of the main deflector. Parameterizing dark matter free-streaming through the half-mode mass $m_{\rm{hm}}$, we constrain the thermal relic particle mass $m_{\rm{DM}}$ corresponding to $m_{\rm{hm}}$. At $95 \%$ CI: $m_{\rm{hm}} < 10^{7.8} M_{\odot}$ ($m_{\rm{DM}} > 5.2 \ \rm{keV}$). We disfavor $m_{\rm{DM}} = 4.0 \rm{keV}$ and $ m_{\rm{DM}} = 3.0 \rm{keV}$ with likelihood ratios of 7:1 and 30:1, respectively, relative to the peak of the posterior distribution. Assuming cold dark matter, we constrain the projected mass in substructure between $10^6 - 10^{9} M_{\odot}$ near lensed images. At $68 \%$ CI, we infer $2.0 - 6.1 \times 10^{7} M_{\odot} \rm{kpc^{-2}}$, corresponding to mean projected mass fraction $\bar{f}_{\rm{sub}} = 0.035_{-0.017}^{+0.021}$. At $95 \%$ CI, we obtain a lower bound on the projected mass of $0.6 \times 10^{7} M_{\odot} \rm{kpc^{-2}}$, corresponding to $\bar{f}_{\rm{sub}} > 0.005$. These results agree with the predictions of cold dark matter.

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Constraints on the mass-concentration relation of cold dark matter halos with 11 strong gravitational lenses

The mass-concentration relation of dark matter halos reflects the assembly history of objects in hierarchical structure formation scenarios, and depends on fundamental quantities in cosmology such as the slope of the primordial matter power-spectrum. This relation is unconstrained by observations on sub-galactic scales. We derive the first measurement of the mass-concentration relation using the image positions and flux ratios from eleven quadruple-image strong gravitational lenses (quads) in the mass range $10^{6} - 10^{10} M_{\odot}$, assuming cold dark matter. Our analysis framework includes both subhalos and line of sight halos, marginalizes over nuisance parameters describing the lens macromodel, accounts for finite source effects on lensing observables, and simultaneously constrains the normalization and logarithmic slope of the mass-concentration relation, and the normalization of the subhalo mass function. At $z=0$, we constrain the concentration of $10^{8} M_{\odot}$ halos $c=12_{-5}^{+6}$ at $68 \%$ CI, and $c=12_{-9}^{+15}$ at $95 \%$ CI. For a $10^{7} M_{\odot}$ halo, we obtain $68 \%$ ($95 \%$) constraints $c=15_{-8}^{+9}$ ($c=15_{-11}^{+18}$), while for $10^{9} M_{\odot}$ halos $c=10_{-4}^{+7}$ ($c=10_{-7}^{+14}$). These results are consistent with the theoretical predictions from mass-concentration relations in the literature, and establish strong lensing by galaxies as a powerful probe of halo concentrations on sub-galactic scales across cosmological distance.

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Probing dark matter structure down to $10^7$ solar masses: flux ratio statistics in gravitational lenses with line of sight halos

Strong lensing provides a powerful means of investigating the nature of dark matter as it probes dark matter structure on sub-galactic scales. We present an extension of a forward modeling framework that uses flux ratios from quadruply imaged quasars (quads) to measure the shape and amplitude of the halo mass function, including line of sight (LOS) halos and main deflector subhalos. We apply this machinery to 50 mock lenses --- roughly the number of known quads --- with warm dark matter (WDM) mass functions exhibiting free-streaming cutoffs parameterized by the half-mode mass $m_{\rm{hm}}$. Assuming cold dark matter (CDM), we forecast bounds on $m_{\rm{hm}}$ and the corresponding thermal relic particle masses over a range of tidal destruction severity, assuming a particular WDM mass function and mass-concentration relation. With significant tidal destruction, at $2 σ$ we constrain $m_{\rm{hm}}<10^{7.9} \left(10^{8.4}\right) M_{\odot}$, or a 4.4 (3.1) keV thermal relic, with image flux uncertainties from measurements and lens modeling of $2\% \left(6\%\right)$. With less severe tidal destruction we constrain $m_{\rm{hm}}<10^{7} \left(10^{7.4}\right) M_{\odot}$, or an 8.2 (6.2) keV thermal relic. If dark matter is warm, with $m_{\rm{hm}} = 10^{7.7} M_{\odot}$ (5.1 keV), we would favor WDM with $m_{\rm{hm}} > 10^{7.7} M_{\odot}$ over CDM with relative likelihoods of 22:1 and 8:1 with flux uncertainties of $2\%$ and $6\%$, respectively. These bounds improve over those obtained by modeling only main deflector subhalos because LOS objects produce additional flux perturbations, especially for high redshift systems. These results indicate that $\sim 50$ quads can conclusively differentiate between warm and cold dark matter.

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Astro2020 Science White Paper - Quasar Microlensing: Revolutionizing our Understanding of Quasar Structure and Dynamics

Microlensing by stars within distant galaxies acting as strong gravitational lenses of multiply-imaged quasars, provides a unique and direct measurement of the internal structure of the lensed quasar on nano-arcsecond scales. The measurement relies on the temporal variation of high-magnification caustic crossings which vary on timescales of days to years. Multiwavelength observations provide information from distinct emission regions in the quasar. Through monitoring of these strong gravitational lenses, a full tomographic view can emerge with Astronomical-Unit scale resolution. Work to date has demonstrated the potential of this technique in about a dozen systems. In the 2020s there will be orders of magnitude more systems to work with. Monitoring of lens systems for caustic-crossing events to enable triggering of multi-platform, multi-wavelength observations in the 2020s will fulfill the potential of quasar microlensing as a unique and comprehensive probe of active black hole structure and dynamics.

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Detecting Dark Matter Cores in Galaxy Clusters with Strong Lensing

We test the ability of strong lensing data to constrain the size of a central core in the dark matter halos of galaxy clusters, using Abell 611 as a prototype. Using simulated data, we show that modeling a cluster halo with ellipticity in the gravitational potential can bias the inferred mass and concentration, which may bias the inferred central density when weak lensing or X-ray data are added. We also the highlight the possibility for spurious constraints on the core size if the radial density profile is different from the assumed model. These systematics can be ameliorated if central images are present in the data. Applying our methodology to Abell 611 and imposing a reasonable prior on the stellar mass-to-light ratio restricts the core size to be less than about 4 kpc, with a minimum reduced $χ^2$ of 0.28 for 0."2 positional errors. Such small cores imply a constraint on the dark matter self-interaction cross section of the order of $0.1\ \mathrm{cm^2/g}$ at relative velocities of about 1500 km/s.

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AGN photoionization of gas in companion galaxies as a probe of AGN radiation in time and direction

We consider AGN photoionization of gas in companion galaxies (cross-ionization) as a way to sample the intensity of AGN radiation in both direction and time, independent of the gas properties of the AGN host galaxies. From an initial set of 212 AGN+companion systems, identified with the help of Galaxy Zoo participants, we obtained long-slit optical spectra of 32 pairs which were a priori likely to show cross-ionization based on projected separation or angular extent of the companion. From emission-line ratios, 10 of these systems are candidates for cross-ionization, roughly the fraction expected if most AGN have ionization cones with 70-degree opening angles. Among these, Was 49 remains the strongest nearby candidate. NGC 5278/9 and UGC 6081 are dual-AGN systems with tidal debris, complicating identification of cross-ionization. The two weak AGN in the NGC 5278/9 system ionize gas filaments to a projected radius 14 kpc from each galaxy. In UGC 6081, an irregular high-ionization emission region encompasses both AGN, extending more than 15 kpc from each. The observed AGN companion galaxies with and without signs of external AGN photoionization have similar distributions in estimated incident AGN flux, suggesting that geometry of escaping radiation or long-term variability control this facet of the AGN environment. This parallels conclusions for luminous QSOs based on the proximity effect among Lyman-alpha absorbers. In some galaxies, mismatch between spectroscopic classifications in the common BPT diagram and the intensity of weaker He II and [Ne V] emission lines highlights the limits of common classifications in low-metallicity environments.

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Probing the nature of dark matter by forward modeling flux ratios in strong gravitational lenses

The free streaming length of dark matter particles determines the abundance of structure on sub-galactic scales. We present a statistical technique, amendable to any parameterization of subhalo density profile and mass function, to probe dark matter on these scales with quadrupole image lenses. We consider a warm dark matter particle with a mass function characterized by a normalization and free streaming scale $m_{\rm{hm}}$. We forecast bounds on dark matter warmth for 120-180 lenses, attainable with future surveys, at typical lens (source) redshifts of 0.5 (1.5) in early-type galaxies with velocity dispersions of 220-270 km/sec. We demonstrate that limits on $m_{\rm{hm}}$ deteriorate rapidly with increasing uncertainty in image fluxes, underscoring the importance of precise measurements and accurate lens models. For our forecasts, we assume the deflectors in the lens sample do not exhibit complex morphologies, so we neglect systematic errors in their modeling. Omitting the additional signal from line of sight halos, our constraints underestimate the true power of the method. Assuming cold dark matter, for a low normalization, corresponding the destruction of all subhalos within the host scale radius, we forecast $2σ$ bounds on $m_{\rm{hm}}$ (thermal relic mass) of $10^{7.5} \ (5.0)$, $10^{8} \ (3.6)$, and $10^{8.5} \ (2.7) \ M_{\odot} \left(\rm{keV}\right)$ for flux errors of $2\%$, $4\%$, and $8\%$. With a higher normalization, these constraints improve to $10^{7.2} \ (6.6)$, $10^{7.5} \ (5.3) $, and $10^{7.8} \ (4.3) \ M_{\odot} \left(\rm{keV}\right)$ with 120 systems. We are also able to measure the normalization of the mass function, which has implications for baryonic feedback models and tidal stripping.

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