November 19, 2021 7-9PM

Event Type: Lecture and Stargazing
Title: The Enigmatic Corona: Powerhouse of Accreting Black Holes
Lecturer: Nikita Kamraj
Position: Recent PhD
Institution: Caltech
Abstract:
Of all the incredible phenomena and objects that exist within the universe, black holes in particular have always been a major source of interest for astronomers and the general public alike. Accreting supermassive black holes – called Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) – are one of the most luminous and energetic objects in our known universe. These monstrously powerful black holes have masses that are millions to a billion times that of the sun, but are by no means “black”, emitting copious amounts of radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum. Such accreting black hole systems shine especially brightly in X-rays, through a structure called the corona. While not nearly as famous as the viral pandemic of the same name, the corona is a critical component of accreting black holes. However, despite being such a key structure, the nature of the corona is shrouded in mystery. In this talk, I will explore why these black holes are so luminous, how we believe the corona operates, and how new X-ray telescopes have transformed our understanding of black holes and corona alike.