04/02/2025
By Lynne Schaufenbil
Title: From Cosmic Jets to Black Hole Hearts: A Journey to the Center of Active Galaxies
Abstract: Nearly all galaxies host a supermassive black hole (SMBH) at their center. When actively accreting matter, these SMBHs power active galactic nuclei (AGNs), with the most luminous examples—quasars—often outshining their host galaxies. Fueled by gravitational energy, AGNs have been studied extensively since their discovery in 1963, offering deep insights into their structure and behavior. In this talk, I will explore how multiwavelength observations—from the vast kiloparsec-scale jets to the compact regions near the black hole—reveal the physical processes driving AGN emission and growth. Relativistic jets, present in about 10% of AGNs, offer insights into jet orientation and energy output—key to understanding AGN unification and the mechanisms behind their powerful radiation. As we zoom in to the innermost regions, I will highlight how rapidly and slowly growing black holes differ in their observable signatures across the electromagnetic spectrum. I will also introduce a new method for estimating black hole masses that considers the rate at which a black hole is accreting—a crucial adjustment often overlooked by traditional methods. These insights are essential to understanding the surprisingly massive black holes discovered by James Webb in the early Universe and the broader picture of black hole formation and growth.
If you are interested in participating, please contact Lynne_Schaufenbil@uml.edu for the Zoom link.