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Abstract:

Black holes of millions to billions of solar masses sit at the center of galaxies, including our own. When these supermassive black holes feed off interstellar gas they produce X-ray bright accretion disks, winds that influence the rate at which stars form in their host galaxies, and relativistic jets that are among the most powerful particle accelerators in the Universe. We will discuss how measurements of X-ray and gamma-ray emission from relativistic jets can tell us about the impact that supermassive black holes have on their host galaxy environment and beyond. In particular, I will describe recent measurements of X-ray polarization with IXPE and how current and future gamma-ray observatories are challenging current jet emission models and bringing us closer to understanding the particle acceleration mechanisms at play in relativistic jets. 

The McDonald Institute seminar will be held in Stirling 501 and streamed live to the McDonald Institute YouTube channel.

A Zoom link is also available and shared via email by the organizers. Please reach out to admin@mcdonaldinstitute.ca for access.