Title: The Impact of Quasars on the Interstellar Medium and Star Formation in Galaxies

Speaker: Luis Ho 何子山

Host: Weimin Gu 

Institute: Kavli Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, Peking University

Time: 14:30-16:00, Tue, Mar. 30

Location: Physics Building 552

Abstract: AGN feedback is often invoked in galaxy evolution, as a key physical mechanism to self-regulate star formation and blackhole accretion.  Is this mechanism truly effective?  How to tell?  I will describe a series of new experiments designed to use the ISMproperties of quasar host galaxies to test the efficiency of AGN feedback.  I will also introduce new methods to estimate the starformation rate and star formation efficiency in quasar host galaxies, which impact models of galaxy quenching.  The ISM and starformation properties of quasars provide key insights into the role that black holes play in the lifecycle of galaxies.

Bio: Director of KIAA, University Chair Professor. Prior to joining KIAA, Luis Ho was a Staff Astronomer for 15 years at the Observatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science. Deputy Editor of ApJ(L). Luis's research interests include: processes in galacticnuclei, accretion disks and jets, massive black holes, origin of the Hubble sequence, extragalactic star formation, star clusters, interstellar medium.