Related papers: The Spin of M87*
We re-examine archival Ginga data for the black hole binary system GS 1124-683, obtained when the system was undergoing its 1991 outburst. Our analysis estimates the dimensionless spin parameter a=cJ/GM^2 by fitting the X-ray continuum…
We propose a novel method to constrain the electric charge of the supermassive black hole M87* by analyzing the orbital angular momentum content of the light it emits. By leveraging the established analogy between rotating spacetimes and…
Motivated by the measured velocity profile of the M87 jet using the KVN and VERA Array (KaVA) by Park et al. indicating that the starting position of the jet acceleration is farther from the central engine of the jet than predicted in…
We study the spherical accretion of magnetized plasma with low angular momentum onto a supermassive black hole, utilizing global general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations. Black hole-driven feedback in the form of magnetic…
Recent observations of Sgr A* give strong constraints for possible models of the physical nature of Sgr A* and suggest the presence of a massive black~hole with M<2 10^6 M_sun surrounded by an accretion disk which we estimate to radiate at…
Black hole jet power depends on the angular velocity of magnetic field lines, $\Omega_F$. Force-free black hole magnetospheres typically have $\Omega_F/\Omega_H \approx 0.5$, where $\Omega_H$ is the angular velocity of the horizon. We give…
We study a combined model of black hole - accretion disk - magnetosphere - jet symbiosis, applicable for supermassive black holes. We quantify the mass and spin evolution and we analyze how the limiting value of the spin parameter and the…
Using long-duration general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations of radiatively inefficient accretion discs, the energy, momentum and mass outflow rates from such systems are estimated. Outflows occur via two fairly distinct modes:…
We present the first constraint on Faraday rotation measure (RM) at submillimeter wavelengths for the nucleus of M 87. By fitting the polarization position angles ($\chi$) observed with the SMA at four independent frequencies around…
Theoretical models show that the power of relativistic jets of active galactic nuclei depends on the spin and mass of the central supermassive black holes, as well as the accretion. Here we report an analysis of archival observations of a…
Supermassive black holes in giant elliptical galaxies are remarkably faint given their expected accretion rates. This motivates models of radiatively inefficient accretion, due to either ion-electron thermal decoupling, generation of…
We use results from simulations of the production of magnetohydrodynamic jets around black holes to derive the cosmic spin history of the most massive black holes. We assume that the efficiency of jet production is a monotonic function of…
Galaxy mergers, each hosting a supermassive black hole (SMBH), are thought to form SMBH binaries. Motivated by recent observations from the East Asian VLBI Network (EAVN) showing periodic behavior in the M87 jet, a precession of about 11…
The study of Magnetically Arrested Disks (MAD) attract strong interest in recent years, as these disk configurations were found to generate strong jets as observed in many accreting systems. Here, we present the results of 14 general…
Unbounded outflows in the form of highly collimated jets and broad winds appear to be a ubiquitous feature of accreting black hole systems. The most powerful jets are thought to derive a significant fraction, if not the majority, of their…
We measure the spin of XTE J1550-564 in two ways: by modelling the thermal continuum spectrum of the accretion disc, and independently by modeling the broad red wing of the reflection fluorescence Fe-K line. We find that the spin…
The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration has recently released the first image of a black hole (BH), opening a new window onto tests of general relativity in the strong field regime. In this paper, we derive constraints on the nature…
The unprecedented image of the M87* supermassive black hole has sparked some controversy over its usefulness as a test of the general relativistic Kerr metric. The criticism is mainly related to the black hole's quasi-circular shadow and…
In 4-dimensional General Relativity, black holes are described by the Kerr solution and are completely specified by their mass $M$ and by their spin angular momentum $J$. A fundamental limit for a black hole in General Relativity is the…
The polarized images of the supermassive black hole Messier 87* (M87*) produced by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) provide a direct view of the near-horizon emission from a black hole accretion and jet system. The EHT theoretical analysis…