Black Holes and the Dynamics of Galactic Nuclei

Rochester Institute Of Tech, Rochester NY

Investigators

Abstract

AST-0437519 Merritt This project will study the dynamics and evolution of galactic nuclei, from their formation through to the present day, with an emphasis on mergers and the influence of binary black holes. Questions about the influence of black holes on the structure of nuclei, the longevity of binaries, the cumulative effect of hierarchical merging, possible roles for triple or multiple black hole systems, the rate of encounters and predicted gravitational wave event rates, and whether black holes are ever ejected from galaxies, will be tackled with a variety of numerical approaches. The models will be compared with observations of nearby galaxies. Many subfields of astrophysics are concerned with single and binary supermassive black holes, and this work will be particularly important in providing an astrophysical grounding for estimates of gravitational wave event rates. Additional broader impact comes from interactions with students and faculty at non-PhD-granting and minority-serving institutions, the development of next-generation instrumentation, and dissemination of computer algorithms to the scientific community.