Vth School of Astroparticle Physics
23 - 28 May 2016
OHP, Saint Michel l'Observatoire

Physics of the Universe in X-rays

Accreting supermassive black holes at different accretion rates

Annalisa CELOTTI
  International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA)

Course

The lecture will give a general overview on the physics (rather than statistics) of Active Galaxies and in particular on the role of the mass accretion rate. In particular the origin of the observed  X-ray emission will be discussed.

Outline
  1. The engine: supermassive black holes and accretion discs
  2. Different accretion rates
  3. The origin of X-ray emission: coronae, reflection, iron lines in AGN
  4. Obscured and unobscured  AGN and the X-ray background
  5. Jetted AGN

Context

The “ubiqutous” presence of supermassive black holes in the center of galaxies with very different nuclear radiation output led to the recognition of the presence of a broad range of accretion mass rates which will be outlined. Furthermore the characteristics of the X-ray emission spectrum revealed the possibility to
  1. map the very inner region of the accretion disc and even infer the spinning of the central black hole, in the regime of strong gravity;
  2. study more closely the role of obscuring material in the circumnuclear environment.


 

Back to Program