# Lens Modeling¶

We can use a Tracer to fit data of a strong lens with its model-image and quantify its goodness-of-fit via a log_likelihood. Of course, when observe an image of a strong lens, we have no idea what combination of LightProfile’s and MassProfiles’s will produce a model-image that looks like the strong lens we observed:

The task of finding these LightProfiles’s and MassProfiles’s is called lens modeling.

## PyAutoFit¶

Lens modeling with PyAutoLens uses the probabilistic programming language PyAutoFit, an open-source Python framework that allows complex model fitting techniques to be straightforwardly integrated into scientific modeling software. Check it out if you are interested in developing your own software to perform advanced model-fitting!

We import it separately to PyAutoLens

import autofit as af


## Model Composition¶

We compose the lens model that we fit to the data using a Model object, which behaves analogously to the Galaxy, LightProfile and MassProfile used previously, however their parameters are not specified and are instead determined by a fitting procedure.

lens_galaxy_model = af.Model(
al.Galaxy,
redshift=0.5,
bulge=al.lp.EllDevVaucouleurs,
mass=al.mp.EllIsothermal
)
source_galaxy_model = af.Model(al.Galaxy, redshift=1.0, disk=al.lp.EllExponential)


We combine the lens and source model galaxies above into a Collection, which is the model we will fit. Note how we could easily extend this object to compose highly complex models containing many galaxies.

The reason we create separate Collection’s for the galaxies and model is because the model can be extended to include other components than just galaxies.

galaxies = af.Collection(lens=lens_galaxy_model, source=source_galaxy_model)
model = af.Collection(galaxies=galaxies)


In this example, we fit our strong lens data with two galaxies:

• A lens galaxy with a elliptisl Dev Vaucouleurs LightProfile representing a bulge and elliptical isothermal MassProfile representing its mass.
• A source galaxy with an elliptical exponential LightProfile representing a disk.

The redshifts of the lens (z=0.5) and source(z=1.0) are fixed.

## Analysis¶

We next create an AnalysisImaging object, which contains the log likelihood function that the non-linear search calls to fit the lens model to the data.

analysis = al.AnalysisImaging(dataset=imaging)


## Model-Fit¶

To perform the model-fit we pass the model and analysis to the search’s fit method. This will output results (e.g., dynesty samples, model parameters, visualization) to hard-disk.

result = search.fit(model=model, analysis=analysis)


The non-linear search fits the lens model by guessing many lens models over and over iteratively, using the models which give a good fit to the data to guide it where to guess subsequent model. An animation of a non-linear search is shown below, where initial lens models give a poor fit to the data but gradually improve (increasing the likelihood) as more iterations are performed.

Credit: Amy Etherington

## Results¶

Once a model-fit is running, PyAutoLens outputs the results of the search to hard-disk on-the-fly. This includes lens model parameter estimates with errors non-linear samples and the visualization of the best-fit lens model inferred by the search so far.

The fit above returns a Result object, which includes lots of information on the lens model. Below, we print the maximum log likelihood model inferred, but the result object contains full posterior information!

print(result.max_log_likelihood_instance.galaxies.lens)
print(result.max_log_likelihood_instance.galaxies.source)


This result contains the full posterior information of our non-linear search, including all parameter samples, log likelihood values and tools to compute the errors on the lens model. PyAutoLens includes many visualization tools for plotting the results of a non-linear search, for example we can make a corner plot of the probability density function (PDF):

dynesty_plotter = aplt.DynestyPlotter(samples=result.samples)
dynesty_plotter.cornerplot()


Here is an example of how a PDF estimated for a lens model appears:

The result also contains the maximum log likelihood Tracer and FitImaging objects and which can easily be plotted.

tracer_plotter = aplt.TracerPlotter(tracer=result.max_log_likelihood_tracer, grid=mask.masked_grid)
tracer_plotter.subplot_tracer()

fit_imaging_plotter = aplt.FitImagingPlotter(fit=result.max_log_likelihood_fit)
fit_imaging_plotter.subplot_fit_imaging()


Here’s what the model-fit of the model which maximizes the log likelihood looks like, providing good residuals and low chi-squared values:

The script autolens_workspace/examples/model/result.py contains a full description of all information contained in a Result.

## Model Customization¶

The Model can be fully customized, making it simple to parameterize and fit many different lens models using any combination of LightProfile’s and MassProfile’s light profiles:

lens_galaxy_model = af.Model(
al.Galaxy,
redshift=0.5,
bulge=al.lp.EllDevVaucouleurs,
mass=al.mp.EllIsothermal
)

"""
This aligns the light and mass profile centres in the model, reducing the
number of free parameter fitted for by Dynesty by 2.
"""
lens_galaxy_model.bulge.centre = lens_galaxy_model.mass.centre

"""
This fixes the lens galaxy light profile's effective radius to a value of
0.8 arc-seconds, removing another free parameter.
"""

"""
This forces the mass profile's einstein radius to be above 1.0 arc-seconds.
"""


The above fit used the non-linear search dynesty, but PyAutoLens supports many other methods and their setting can be easily customized:

"""Nested Samplers"""

search = af.MultiNest(name="multinest", n_live_points=50, sampling_efficiency=0.5, evidence_tolerance=0.8)
search = af.DynestyStatic(name="dynesty_static", nlive=50, sample="rwalk")
search = af.DynestyDynamic(name="dynesty_dynamic", sample="hslice")

"""MCMC"""

search = af.Emcee(name="emcee", nwalkers=50, nsteps=500)

"""Optimizers"""

search = af.PySwarmsLocal(name="pso_local", n_particles=50)
search = af.PySwarmsGlobal(name="pso_global", n_particles=50).


## Wrap-Up¶

Chapters 2 and 3 HowToLens lecture series give a comprehensive description of lens modeling, including a description of what a non-linear search is and strategies to fit complex lens model to data in efficient and robust ways.