| How to probe the black hole – jet connection |
| George Wong, Institute for Advanced Study |
| Event Type: Astro Seminar |
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| Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM |
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| Location: 726 Broadway, 940, CCPP Seminar |
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| Abstract: The relativistic jets that originate in the centers of many galaxies are likely powered by supermassive black holes via the Blandford-Znajek effect, in which horizon-scale magnetic fields siphon spin energy away from the hole and convert it into Poynting flux. Recent and upcoming observations from the Event Horizon Telescope provide an unparalleled opportunity to directly investigate the details of the jet-launching mechanism and test the theory with real data. In this talk, I will first describe the state-of-the-art in modeling these accretion systems and discuss how uncertainties both in the thermodynamics and due to plasma kinetics can influence the results. I will then detail how analytic results from general relativity can be combined with numerical simulations to identify novel electromagnetic observables that directly probe the spacetime geometry near the event horizon in spite of the messy gastrophysics. I will conclude with a brief overview of the future of theory and observation in the context of horizon-scale black hole science. |