VLBI imaging of the gravitational lens MGJ0414+0534

6 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics.-- Final full-text version of the paper available at: http://aa.springer.de/papers/0362003/2300845.pdfWe observed the quadruple gravitationally lensed image of MGJ0414+0534 on 23 November 1997 with a global VLBI array at 8.4 GHz. We report wide-field imaging results of its four components at submilliarcsecond resolution, displaying complex core-like and jet-like extended structures. A simple model combining a singular isothermal ellipsoid to represent the main lens galaxy, external shear, and a singular isothermal sphere to represent an additional, nearby object accounts well for the core positions and flux densities of the VLBI images. This model predicts delays between the different lensed images of several weeks.We are especially grateful to J. Romney for essential help provided during correlation and postcorrelation. We acknowledge also R.W. Porcas and A.R. Patnaik for useful discussions. This work has been partially supported by the Spanish DGICYT Grants No. PB96-0782 and PB97-1164 and by European Comission’s TMR-LSF programme, contract No. ERBFMGECT950012. NRAO is operated under license by Associated Universities, Inc., under cooperative agreement with NSF.Peer reviewe