15 research outputs found
Compact jets as probes for sub-parsec scale regions in AGN
Compact relativistic jets in active galactic nuclei offer an effective tool
for investigating the physics of nuclear regions in galaxies. The emission
properties, dynamics, and evolution of jets in AGN are closely connected to the
characteristics of the central supermassive black hole, accretion disk and
broad-line region in active galaxies. Recent results from studies of the
nuclear regions in several active galaxies with prominent outflows are reviewed
in this contribution.Comment: AASLaTeX, 5 pages, 4 figures. Accepted in Astrophysics and Space
Scienc
Active Galactic Nuclei at the Crossroads of Astrophysics
Over the last five decades, AGN studies have produced a number of spectacular
examples of synergies and multifaceted approaches in astrophysics. The field of
AGN research now spans the entire spectral range and covers more than twelve
orders of magnitude in the spatial and temporal domains. The next generation of
astrophysical facilities will open up new possibilities for AGN studies,
especially in the areas of high-resolution and high-fidelity imaging and
spectroscopy of nuclear regions in the X-ray, optical, and radio bands. These
studies will address in detail a number of critical issues in AGN research such
as processes in the immediate vicinity of supermassive black holes, physical
conditions of broad-line and narrow-line regions, formation and evolution of
accretion disks and relativistic outflows, and the connection between nuclear
activity and galaxy evolution.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures; review contribution; "Exploring the Cosmic
Frontier: Astrophysical Instruments for the 21st Century", ESO Astrophysical
Symposia Serie