Events

Observational Insights on Early Supermassive Black Hole Growth from JWST

Abstract: This talk aims to synthesize a series of new observations made since 2022 that have advanced our understanding of how supermassive black holes grew within galaxies during the first Gyr. These discoveries were mostly enabled by slitless spectroscopy with JWST – frequently in the context of surveys designed for other scientific objectives.  I will discuss JWST’s most recent constraints on black hole masses both individually and in relation to their host galaxies; UV-bright quasars’ duty cycle, age, and ionizing radiation geometry; and both indirect and direct evidence that early black hole often occurs in heavily obscured environments that have previously eluded detection.

Monday, February 10, 2025 11:00 AM