Explore the evolution and impact of quasars in this comprehensive 11-hour lecture series from the California Institute of Technology. Delve into the discovery of quasars, their luminosity functions, and high-redshift evolution. Examine the relationship between quasars and X-ray backgrounds, black hole demographics, and galaxy co-evolution. Investigate quasar masses, broad emission lines, outflows, and jet formation. Learn about blazars, obscured quasars, and their role in probing the intergalactic medium. Gain insights into gravitational forces and 3-space curvature through thought experiments. Conclude with public lectures on black holes, the fate of the universe, and the multiverse, presented by renowned experts in the field.
Overview
Syllabus
Opening Remarks - M. Cohen, G. Djorgovski, T. Soifer.
The Discovery of Quasars - Maarten Schmidt.
The Road to Quasars - Ken Kellermann.
The Quasar Luminosity Function, Then and Now - R. Green.
Quasar Evolution at High Redshifts - D. Schneider.
Quasars and the Origins of the X-Ray Background - G. Hasinger.
Black Hole Demographics in Active and Inactive Galaxies - L. Ho.
The First AGN Results from NuSTAR - F. Harrison.
The Masses of Quasars - B. Peterson.
The First Black Holes - M. Volonteri.
The Monster Roars: Feedback and the Co-Evolution of Galaxies and Black Holes - P. Hopkins.
The broad emission lines of quasars - M. Eracleous.
Quasar outflows: historical overview and importance to AGN feedback - N. Arav.
Jet Formation - R. Blandford.
Blazars as Probes of Relativistic Jets - M. Urry.
Obscured Quasars - D. Stern.
Quasars as Probes of the IGM - A. Boksenberg.
Thought experiments on gravitational forces and 3-space curvature - D. Lynden-Bell.
Public Lecture - Black Holes and the Fate of the Universe - G. Hasinger.
Public Lecture: From Mars to the Multiverse - M. Rees.
Taught by
caltech
