Black Holes as Messy Eaters: Radio Observations of Jets and Outflows Launched by Accreting Black Holes

Explore the fascinating world of black holes and their feeding habits in this conference talk by Adelle Goodwin from Curtin University. Delve into radio observations of jets and outflows launched by accreting black holes, focusing on their role as messy eaters. Gain insights into the complex processes surrounding supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies, including our own Milky Way. Learn about tidal disruption events (TDEs) and how they occur when stars venture too close to these cosmic giants. Discover how the incredible tidal gravitational fields of black holes can transform stars into streams of stellar debris, producing flares of light as the debris falls into the black hole. Understand the importance of studying TDEs in testing our understanding of extreme physics and revealing the otherwise invisible environment around black holes. Examine recent observational and theoretical advances in this rapidly-developing field, and explore potential classroom activities to illustrate these concepts.