Title The galactic supermassive black hole / Fulvio Melia

Published Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, ©2007

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Description 1 online resource (xiv, 296 pages) : illustrations (some color), charts, photographs Contents The galactic center -- Discover of Sagittarius A* -- Radio morphology of the central region -- X-ray morphology of the central region -- Sagittarius A east -- The radio source Sagittarius A* -- Position of Sagittarius A* -- Proper motion -- Structure as a function of frequency -- Sagittarius A*'s spectrum -- The radio spectrum -- Linear and circular polarization -- Infrared observations -- X-ray observations -- Observed high-energy characteristics -- Variability -- Short-term variability in the IR and X-rays -- Long-term variability in the radio -- The central star cluster -- The stellar cusp surrounding the black hole -- Stellar constituents and dynamics -- Stellar orbits and the enclosed mass -- The four-dimensional spacetime -- The flat spacetime metric -- Relativistic transformation of physical laws -- Accelerated frames -- General relativity -- Particle orbits and trajectories -- The Kerr metric -- Mass accretion and expulsion -- Sagittarius A*'s gaseous environment -- Bondi-Hoyle capture from distributed sources -- Accretion close to Sagittarius A* -- Magnetic field dissipation -- A compact magnetized disk -- Expulsion of matter -- Flares -- Flare physics -- Periodicity -- General relativistic flux modulations -- Strong field physics -- Spin-induced disk precession -- Microlensing -- Imaging the shadow of the black hole Summary Here, one of the world's leading astrophysicists provides the first comprehensive and logically structured overview of the many ideas and discoveries pertaining to the supermassive black hole at the galactic center known as Sagittarius A*. By far the closest galactic nucleus in the universe, Sagittarius A* alone can provide us with a realistic expectation of learning about the physics of strong gravitational fields, and the impact of such fields on the behavior of matter and radiation under severe physical conditions. Its proximity may even provide the opportunity to directly test one of general relativity's most enigmatic predictions--the existence of closed pockets of space-time hidden behind an event horizon. The plethora of research on Sagittarius A* since its discovery in 1974 has long seemed an interwoven pattern of loose threads. No one has successfully synthesized this growing body of work into a manageable, coherent book both for professional researchers and for students taking courses focusing on black holes and galactic nuclei--until now. With Fulvio Melia's The Galactic Supermassive Black Hole, readers finally have at their disposal a one-volume crucible of essential ideas, logically streamlined but with thorough references for those wishing to explore the various topics in greater depth Analysis Boltzmann equation Cerenkov radiation Christoffel symbols Coulomb forces Einstein ring Eulerian perturbations Galilean relativity Lorentz boost Newtonian gravity Ohmic diffusion accelerated frame accretion filaments angular broadening anomalous resistivity anomalous viscosity area amplification balloon instruments bandwidth bipolar outflow birefringence black hole image circular polarization contravariant tensor diffusion equation disk magnetic field dusty gas dynamical center electric field energy-at-infinity frame dragging free-free emission galactic center gravitational confinement hydrodynamic simulations index of refraction inertia infalling clouds initial mass function iron-line emission kinematic viscosity magnetic flare magnetized accretion neutron stars orbital companion photodissociation photon geodesic polarized emission protostars quiescent luminosity relative motion secondary leptons secular parallax supergiant Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 265-286) and index Notes Master and use copy. Digital master created according to Benchmark for Faithful Digital Reproductions of Monographs and Serials, Version 1. Digital Library Federation, December 2002. http://purl.oclc.org/DLF/benchrepro0212 MiAaHDL digitized 2010 HathiTrust Digital Library committed to preserve pda MiAaHDL Print version record Subject Black holes (Astronomy) SCIENCE -- Astronomy. Black holes (Astronomy) Schwarzes Loch Trous noirs (astronomie) Centre galactique. Galaktisches Zentrum. Zwarte gaten. Forats negres (Astronomia) Galàxies. Svarta hål. SUBJECT Sagittarius A* (Astronomy) http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh2007002976 Galactic center. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85052744 Subject Deep space -- Galactic center Deep space -- Sagittarius A* (Astronomy) Form Electronic book LC no. 2006937806 ISBN 9780691222547 0691222541

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