SLICE: SPT-CL J0546-5345—A Prominent Strong-lensing Cluster at <i>z</i> = 1.07

Abstract Massive galaxy clusters act as prominent strong lenses. Due to a combination of observational biases, cluster evolution, and lensing efficiency, most of the known cluster lenses lie typically at z l ∼ 0.2–0.7, with only a few prominent examples at higher redshifts. Here we report the first strong-lensing analysis of the massive galaxy cluster SPT-CL J0546-5345 at a redshift z l = 1.07. This cluster was first detected through the Sunyaev–Zel’dovich effect, with a high estimated mass for its redshift of M 200, c = (7.95 ± 0.92) × 10 14 M ⊙ . Using recent JWST/NIRCam and archival Hubble Space Telescope imaging, we identify at least 10 secure and 6 candidate sets of multiply imaged background galaxies, which we use to constrain the mass distribution in the cluster. We derive effective Einstein radii of θ E = 18 <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mover> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>.</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mtext>″</mml:mtext> </mml:mrow> </mml:mover> </mml:math> 1 ± 1 <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mover> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>.</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mtext>″</mml:mtext> </mml:mrow> </mml:mover> </mml:math> 8 for a source at z s = 3 and θ E = 27 <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mover> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>.</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mtext>″</mml:mtext> </mml:mrow> </mml:mover> </mml:math> 9 ± 2 <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mover> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>.</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mtext>″</mml:mtext> </mml:mrow> </mml:mover> </mml:math> 8 for a source at z s = 9. The total projected mass within a 200 kpc radius around the strong-lensing region is M (&lt;200 kpc) = (1.9 ± 0.3) × 10 14 M ⊙ . While our results rely on photometric redshifts warranting spectroscopic follow-up, this central mass resembles that of the Hubble Frontier Fields clusters—although SPT-CL J0546-5345 is observed when the Universe was ∼3–4 Gyr younger. Amongst the multiply imaged sources, we identify a hyperbolic-umbilic-like configuration, and, thanks to its point-like morphology, a possible active galactic nucleus (AGN). If confirmed spectroscopically, it will add to just a handful of other quasars and AGN known to be multiply lensed by galaxy clusters.