Michigan Math and Science Scholars

Lunch and Learn Series 2005

Finding Black Holes

Prof. Doug Richstone,Department of Astronomy,

University of Michigan

Prof. Richstone

(On construction site for a new telescope in Chile)

Richstone Lab’s Interests:

I work in collaboration with The Nuker Team to study the centers of galaxies in an attempt to understand the relationship of galaxy nuclei to supermassive black holes that may have once powered quasars. We think we have shown that black holes that once powered quasars are a common feature of nuclei of normal galaxies.

Black Holes in Galaxy Centers…

This photo is a quasar in an interacting galaxy imaged by Bahcall, Kirhakos, Schneider and Saxe with HST. A controversial view of the

history of black hole formation in the universe is illustrated here.

…Spacecraft Detection of Gravitational Waves,…

(Artist's concept of gravitational wave action.)

The LISA Project= “Laser interferometer space antenna”

How to detect gravitational waves…

Formation and Evolution of Clusters of Galaxies…

…and Gravitational Lensing