EPSAM

Gamma Ray Bursts and Active Galactic Nucleii

Lead supervisor:  Dr James Reeves

Relativistic iron K line profiles from black hole sources, i.e. Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) and Galactic Black Hole Candidates (GBHC's) will be measured and modelled. This first aim of this project is to critically access the possibility of whether black hole spin can be determined from current observations of the relativistic iron K line profile, via constraining the innermost stable orbit of the accretion disk. The prevalence of relativistic lines across many black hole sources will also be determined and the issue of how their parameters are effected by the detailed broad-band spectral modelling will be addressed. The results will lead to a parametrisation of the accretion disk properties across a wide range of objects. The project will primarily utilise new broad band X-ray data taken by the Suzaku X-ray observatory to measure the iron K line profiles and associated Compton reflection hump at hard X-rays, supplemented by XMM-Newton, Chandra and multiwavelength data where appropriate. The project will also address the future properties for measuring black hole properties (mass, spin) from future missions, such as Xeus/IXO, Astro-H.