Description
One of the key open questions in black hole astrophysics is the nature of the electron distribution function (eDF) in accretion flows, specifically: how are electrons heated and accelerated, and how does this affect the observed emission? Answering this question is crucial for interpreting multi-wavelength observations of active galactic nuclei (AGN) and understanding the connection between model and data. In this talk, we present a study of the eDF in the accretion flow of the nearby low-luminosity AGN M87*, using data from the 2017 Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) multi-wavelength campaign. We take a novel approach by employing a Bayesian framework to constrain a parameterised, theory-agnostic eDF model based on local plasma conditions. By generating synthetic images and spectra using general relativistic radiative transfer (GRRT) simulations and comparing them to EHT observations, we extract key constraints on the electron distribution. We show that this method provides new insights into electron acceleration mechanisms near the event horizon and demonstrate that multi-wavelength constraints are essential for understanding plasma physics in strong gravity regimes. Additionally, the inferred eDF can serve as a data-driven template for particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations, helping to bridge the gap between first-principles plasma modeling and observational constraints. Our results highlight the power of Bayesian inference in bridging theoretical models and observational data, offering a new way to probe the microphysics of black hole accretion.
| Talk category | NOVA Network 3 |
|---|---|
| Preference for a talk or poster | Talk |
| Talk preference for PhD students | 2nd Year Ph.D., havent given a talk at NAC before |
