Astrophysics Seminar with Alex Chen on Neutron Stars and Black Holes
Alex Chen (Hosted by Krawczynski) from JILA, University of Colorado and National Institute of Standards and Technology, will be presenting an astrophysics seminar, "First-principles Modeling of the Magnetospheres of Neutron Stars and Black Holes"
Neutron stars and black holes are the most extreme objects in the universe. We can only detect and study these objects through their emission at different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. The processes that produce this multi-wavelength emission involve a combination of relativistic plasma physics, quantum electrodynamics, and general relativity. In this talk, I will show how first-principle computer simulations can allow us to build detailed models of the surroundings of neutron stars and black holes. I will cover a wide range of topics, including how pulsars produce their multi-wavelength emission, how magnetars shine in X-rays, and how black holes can produce high energy gamma-rays near its event horizon.