On electromagnetic observables from supermassive black hole accretion flows

Relativistic jets have been observed to originate from the centers of many galaxies. It is likely that the jets are powered by spinning supermassive black holes via a dynamical interaction between magnetic fields close to the hole and the warped spacetime predicted by general relativity. This dissertation describes a series of projects aimed at understanding and identifying signatures of the physical quantities relevant to the black hole–jet connection in both observational and theoretical contexts. I start with a review of astrophysical black hole accretion systems and the radiative physics that governs the generation of electromagnetic signals from hot leptons near the hole. I then describe the numerical tools I use to simulate the accretion and generate synthetic images and spectra, paying particular attention to my contributions and extensions to the code. Next, I discuss my contribution to the theoretical analysis of the first event-horizon-scale black hole accretion flow images, which were produced by the Event Horizon Telescope. The remainder of the dissertation covers projects designed to support a theory-based guide for the next generation of electromagnetic black hole observation in the context of the jet–hole connection. I begin by describing two projects focused on understanding the composition of the jet near the hole. The first project studies mass entrainment through the jet–disk boundary layer as a mechanism to feed the jet at small scales. The second project studies electron–positron drizzle pair creation due to the background radiation field produced by the hot accretion flow. I conclude with a discussion of black hole glimmer, a novel universal signature of black hole spin that can be measured from high-resolution black hole movies and used to determine the orientation and magnitude of a black hole’s angular momentum vector.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Physics

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2022

Author dc:creator

• Wong, George Nathaniel

Contributors dc:contributor

• Gammie, Charles F.
• Holder, Gilbert
• Cooper, S. Lance
• Liu, Xin

• Black holes
• Accretion disks
• Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD)
• Astrophysics
• Radiative transfer
• General relativity (GR)

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2021 George Nathaniel Wong

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/112996

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/112996