Are you a student interested in exploring black holes and jets? 

Then let's work together!

Project description

Powerful jets launched by active galactic nuclei are commonly thought to be powered by the central, supermassive black holes. Uncovering the underlying physical concepts is paramount to further our understanding of the nature of these black holes. Our current theoretical understanding of jet creation connects the energy output of black holes to their immediate vicinity, accretion discs, and the effects of magnetic fields. With Very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) one can peer through the densest regions of the nucleus and image jets directly at the highest resolution, reaching spatial scales as low as a few tens of Schwarzschild radii. Well suited targets for such an analysis are radio sources that are relatively close-by, harbour jets ejected by their central supermassive black hole, which exhibit subluminal motion. This project aims to shed light on the connection between jets and black holes, which is one of crucial, remaining astronomical questions. The project’s main focus will be on high-resolution multi-frequency VLBI radio imaging.

Bibliography & links:

Paraschos et al. 2021:  Pinpointing the jet apex of 3C 84 - NASA/ADS

Kim et al. 2019: Spatially resolved origin of millimeter-wave linear polarization in the nuclear region of 3C 84 - NASA/ADS

M2FINDERS project: www.mpifr-bonn.mpg.de/m2finders

EVN: https://www.evlbi.org/

Requirements:

The candidate is expected to master the English language in the scientific context, and have a strong background in astrophysics, physics, and mathematics.  Previous experience in observational astronomy is of advantage, especially in the radio regime.  Programming and scripting skills will be an important asset as well.

Contact:

Dr. G. F. Paraschos (gfpraschos@mpifr.de)

Further project topics can be developed and worked on upon prior discussion and agreement.