A Multiwavelength Exploration of Sgr A*'s Event Horizon Dynamics
Abstract
The last century has seen exciting tests of general relativity and the LIGO-Virgo observatories have now definitively discovered black holes. And yet we are only beginning to approach the event horizon with electromagnetic observations. Sagittarius A* is one of the closest supermassive black holes targeted by the Chandra X-ray Observatory, as well as VLT's GRAVITY instrument, the Event Horizon Telescope, and many more. It thus offers an exciting opportunity for coordinated, multi-wavelength campaigns, which are poised to identify the origin of observed X-ray and IR variability, connect it to horizon-scale structure in the submm, and distinguish between competing models: hot spots, inflow/outflow, reconnection regions, shocks, or even magnetosphere gaps. I will present recent results from cross-correlation of ambitious, simultaneous time series from Chandra, Spitzer and the JVLA, as well as prospects for future discovery.
- Publication:
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AAS/High Energy Astrophysics Division
- Pub Date:
- March 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019HEAD...1710105H