Modeling Dual Active Galactic Nuclei in Mergers: Unique Probes of Black Hole Inspiral and Growth

星系之间的碰撞可以极大地改变它们的结构，是它们演化的关键阶段。这些合并事件也可以强烈地影响生活在星系中心的超大质量黑洞。超大质量黑洞通过消耗周围的气体而增长，星系合并事件可以将新的气体供应输送到黑洞，引发快速增长阶段。最终，来自每个合并星系的黑洞也形成了一个接近的黑洞双星，它产生了强大的引力波-时空结构中的涟漪-可能在不久的将来被探测到。然而，黑洞双星的形成时间尺度仍然高度不确定，这阻碍了预测它们的引力波信号的努力。此外，星系合并和黑洞补给之间的联系仍在激烈争论中，黑洞补给的特征往往被气体和尘埃隐藏起来，这一问题变得更加复杂。首席调查者(PI)的工作将解决这些对黑洞补给的理解的关键限制。利用对星系和黑洞演化的模拟，PI将确定合并和黑洞燃料之间的联系，并对未来的观测做出预测，包括即将到来的詹姆斯·韦伯太空望远镜(JWST)的观测。PI还将对黑洞双星成为可探测的引力波源的时间尺度提供新的限制。此外，该协会还将在佛罗里达发起一项女性物理学与天文学项目，包括一个多层次的指导项目和一系列关于职业发展、公平与包容主题的研讨会。该计划将鼓励留住年轻的女性科学家，在物理学和天文学系之间建立更紧密的联系，并促进一个包容的环境，积极欢迎代表不足的群体的成员。星系合并是星系及其中心超大质量黑洞(BHS)演化的关键阶段。合并可以戏剧性地改变星系的结构，引发新的恒星形成，以及快速的BH燃料。这些事件还导致了近距离黑洞双星的形成，这些双星是引力波(GW)的强大来源，应该在不久的将来就能探测到。然而，BH双星激发时间尺度仍然高度不确定，这阻碍了GW的预测，星系合并和BH燃料之间的联系仍然是活跃的争论。BH活跃增长的迹象往往被介于其间的气体和尘埃掩盖，这一事实使实证研究变得复杂起来。PI的工作将解决在解释BH燃料和合并中的激励的能力方面的这些关键限制。JWST将很快改变对黑洞和星系演化的看法，而GW时代的到来放大了对低频GW源群体进行更好限制的必要性。现在是研究BH在合并星系中的补充和激励作用的理想时机，为不久的将来的观测做出可检验的预测。PI将使用流体动力学模拟和辐射转移计算来量化合并和BH加油之间的内在联系，确定选择偏差在并购驱动的BH加油调查中的作用，并对BH对进行半经验约束。

Collisions between galaxies can dramatically change their structure and are key phases in their evolution. These merger events can also strongly influence the supermassive black holes that live in the centers of galaxies. Supermassive black holes grow by consuming gas in their surroundings, and galaxy merger events can funnel a fresh gas supply to the black holes, triggering a phase of rapid growth. Eventually, the black holes from each merging galaxy also form a close black hole binary, which produces powerful gravitational waves---ripples in the fabric of spacetime---that could be detected in the near future. However, the formation timescale for black hole binaries remains highly uncertain, hampering efforts to predict their gravitational wave signals. Moreover, the connection between galaxy mergers and black hole fueling is still actively debated, an issue complicated by the fact that signatures of black hole fueling are often hidden by intervening gas and dust.The Principal Investigator's (PI's) work will address these critical limitations in the understanding of black hole fueling. Using simulations of galaxy and black hole evolution, the PI will determine the connection between mergers and black hole fueling and make predictions for future observations, including observations with the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The PI will also provide new constraints on the timescale for black hole binaries to become detectable gravitational-wave sources. In addition, the PI will initiate a Women in Physics & Astronomy program at Florida, including a multi-level mentoring program and a seminar series on professional development and equity & inclusion topics. This program will encourage retention of junior female scientists, create stronger ties between the physics and astronomy departments, and promote an inclusive climate that is actively welcoming to members of underrepresented groups.Galaxy mergers are key phases in the evolution of galaxies and their central supermassive black holes (BHs). Mergers can dramatically change galaxies' structure and trigger new star formation as well as rapid BH fueling. These events also lead to the formation of close BH binaries, which are powerful sources of gravitational waves (GWs) that should be detectable in the near future. However, BH binary inspiral timescales remain highly uncertain, hampering GW predictions, and the connection between galaxy mergers and BH fueling is still actively debated. Empirical studies are complicated by the fact that signatures of active BH growth are often obscured by intervening gas and dust. The PI's work will address these critical limitations in the ability to interpret observations of BH fueling and inspiral in mergers. JWST will soon transform the view of BH and galaxy evolution, and the advent of the GW era has amplified the need for better constraints on the low-frequency GW source population. Now is the ideal time to undertake a study of BH fueling and inspiral in merging galaxies that makes testable predictions for near-future observations. The PI will use hydrodynamic simulations and radiative transfer calculations to quantify the intrinsic connection between mergers and BH fueling, determine the role of selection biases in surveys of merger-driven BH fueling, and place semi-empirical constraints on BH pair inspiral.