This program will investigate the surrounding regions of active galactic nuclei (AGN), and shed light on the physical processes within 300 light-years from the central black hole. It is this region that ultimately drives material to fuel the central AGN, while simultaneously being most affected by the radiation released by the accreting black hole. The proposed research will study the properties of starburst disks in the nucleus of a galaxy, and analyze the conditions in which the disk can fuel an AGN and how the radiation emitted by the accreting material can in turn alter the disk structure.
Broader impacts of the work include research training of undergraduate and graduate students, and development of a series of classes on multiwavelength astrophysics to be used in high school physics, chemistry and math courses. These classes will be presented using videoconferencing technology to high schools in rural Georgia as part of the Direct-to-Discovery program.
