Cosmological parameter survey using the gravitational lensing method

Using a multiple-lens plane algorithm, we study light propagation in inhomo geneous universes for 43 different COBE-normalized Cold Dark Matter models, with various values of the density parameter Omega (0), Cosmological const ant lambda (0), Hubble constant H-0, and rms density fluctuation sigma (8). We performed a total of 3798 experiments, each experiment consisting of pr opagating a square beam of angular size 21.9 " x 21.9 " composed of 116 281 light rays from the observer up to redshift z = 3. These experiments provi de statistics of the magnification, shear, and multiple imaging of distant sources. The results of these experiments might be compared with observatio ns, and eventually help constrain the possible values of the cosmological p arameters. Additionally, they provide insight into the gravitational lensin g process and its complex relationship with the various cosmological parame ters.