UConn Physics Colloquium
“Connecting Black Hole Growth and Galaxy Evolution Across Cosmic Time”
Dale Kocevski
Colby College
Supermassive black holes, and the active galactic nuclei (AGN) that they power, are thought to play an integral role in the evolution of galaxies by acting to regulate, and eventually suppress, the star formation activity of their host galaxies. I will discuss recent efforts to test this proposed connection by studying the demographics of galaxies experiencing active black hole growth. In particular, I will highlight results obtained using infrared imaging from the Hubble Space Telescope, which has allowed us to study galaxies back when the Universe was a quarter of its current age. It is during this era of cosmic history that black hole growth and star formation activity in the Universe are at their peak. I will discuss what Hubble has revealed about the mechanisms that fuel AGN activity at this epoch and the connection between black hole growth and the emergence of the first generation of passive galaxies in the Universe. I will also discuss future work planned with Hubble’s successor, the James Webb Space Telescope, which will soon allow us to view the first galaxies and black holes to form after the Big Bang.
Friday, January 24, 2020
3:30 P.M.
Biology Physics Building
Room BPB-131
Cookies will be served prior to the talk, at 3:00 p.m. outside BPB-131
For more information, contact: Anna Huang at anna.huang@uconn.edu