X-RAY MICROLENSING IN RXJ1131-1231 AND HE1104-1805

We present results from a monitoring campaign performed with the Chandra X-ray Observatory of the gravitationally lensed quasars RX J1131-1231 and HE 1104-1805. We detect significant X-ray variability in all images of both quasars. The flux variability detected in image A of RX J1131-1231 is of particular interest because of its high amplitude (a factor of similar to 20). We interpret it as arising from microlensing since the variability is uncorrelated with that of the other images and the X-ray flux ratios show larger changes than the optical as we would expect for microlensing of the more compact X-ray emission regions. The differences between the X-ray and optical flux ratios of HE 1104-1805 are less dramatic, but there is no significant soft X-ray or dust absorption, implying the presence of X-ray microlensing in this system as well. Combining the X-ray data with the optical light curves we find that the X-ray emitting region of HE 1104-1805 is compact with a half-light radius less than or similar to 6r(g), where the gravitational radius is r(g) = 3.6 x 10(14) cm, thus placing significant constraints on AGN corona models. We also find that the microlensing in HE 1104-1805 favors mass models for the lens galaxy that are dominated by dark matter. Finally, we better characterize the massive foreground cluster near RX J1131-1231, set limits on other sources of extended X-ray emission, and limit the fluxes of any central odd images to be 30-50 (3 sigma) times fainter than the observed images.