Speaker
Sjoert van Velzen
(NYU)
Description
The tidal disruption of a star by a massive black hole is a rare event that results in a spectacular flare of electromagnetic radiation. Visible from radio to X-ray wavelengths, tidal disruption flares are a unique probe to study massive black holes and the nucleus of their host galaxies. The advent of optical transient surveys has accelerated this field; the increased detection rate has fueled a large number of (often unexpected) discoveries. However the origin of optical emission from tidal disruption events is currently unknown; observations at X-ray wavelengths will be key to solve this puzzle.
| Affiliation | NYU |
|---|---|
| Topic | Multi-messenger and transient astronomy |
Primary author
Sjoert van Velzen
(NYU)
