NRAO/Socorro Colloquium Series
University of Arizona
Testing the No Hair Theorem with the Black Hole in the Center of the
Milky Way
The Kerr spacetime of spinning black holes is one of the most
intriguing predictions of Einstein's theory of general relativity.
The special role this spacetime plays in the theory of gravity is
encapsulated in the no-hair theorem, which states that the Kerr
metric is the only realistic black-hole solution of the vacuum
field equations. Recent and anticipated advances in the
observations of black holes throughout the electromagnetic spectrum
have secured our understanding of their basic properties while
opening up new opportunities for devising tests of the Kerr metric.
In this talk, I will show how imaging and spectroscopic observations
of the black hole in the center of the Milky Way with current and
future instruments can lead to the first direct test of the no-hair
theorem with an astrophysical object.
October 7, 2011
11:00 am
Array Operations Center Auditorium
All NRAO employees are invited to attend via
video, available in Charlottesville Room 230, Green Bank Room 137 and
Tucson N525.
Local Host: Joan Wrobel