Hard X-ray Coronae in Luminous Accretion Flows - Insights from Local and Global Models

Explore the physics of hard X-ray coronae in luminous accretion flows around black holes and neutron stars in this 19-minute conference talk by Christopher Bambic from Georgia Tech. Delve into the complex plasma processes that occur under extreme relativistic conditions near these exotic astrophysical objects, examining how magnetic reconnection and shock phenomena operate in environments where relativistic, radiative, and quantum electrodynamic effects become significant. Learn about the challenges posed by recent observational discoveries, including event-horizon-scale images of accreting black holes and Fast Radio Bursts, and how they push the boundaries of our understanding of plasma physics in extreme environments. Discover insights from both local and global modeling approaches used to study these phenomena, and understand the interdisciplinary collaboration required between observational astrophysicists, plasma theorists, computational physicists, and experimental researchers to advance our knowledge of extreme plasma behavior around compact objects.