(Image Credit: IPAC-Caltech)

Active galactic nuclei (AGN) are very bright regions at the center of some galaxies, powered by supermassive black holes. Some AGN produce narrow, fast jets of plasma that travel at nearly the speed of light — these are called relativistic jets. We study these jets to understand how they form, how they accelerate particles, and how they affect their surroundings. By looking at the light they emit — from radio waves to gamma rays — we explore the extreme physics happening near the black holes at the heart of active galaxies.

Group publications