Physics & Astronomy Colloquium – Spring 2023 – Hansung Gim

Speaker: Hansung Gim (Montana State/ University of Alabama)

Title: Exploring the submillimeter properties of the black hole in Henize 2-10

Abstract: It is well known that massive black holes (BHs) were almost exclusively found in the giant galaxies. However, recent studies have shown that these BHs are much more common in dwarf galaxies than previously thought. Understanding these systems is crucial for understanding the evolution of dwarf galaxies and the role of active galactic nuclei in the low-mass regime. Additionally, studying these BHs can provide insight into the origin of the first BH seeds in the early universe, as dwarf galaxies may host BHs that have not grown much since their formation. Despite the importance of massive BHs in dwarf galaxies, little is known about the molecular gas and dust that fuel and obscure AGNs in these objects. In this talk, I will present our recent study of the molecular gas and submillimeter continuum of a massive BH in the dwarf galaxy Henize 2-10, where the BH was identified through multi-wavelength studies. We used newly developed algorithms to re-examine the molecular gas and continuum distributions. I will show a detailed analysis of the molecular gas in the vicinity of the BH as well as the submillimeter spectral energy distribution of the BH.

Homepage: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hansung-gim-23b93555