Project description
Stellar disruption events could illuminate black hole mysteries
Massive black holes (MBHs) are crucial to understanding high-energy astrophysics, galaxy formation, and astroparticle physics. Despite their importance, fundamental questions about their origin, growth, and current demographics have not been answered. The ERC-funded TIDALWAVE project will use tidal disruption events (TDEs), which involve stars being ripped apart by a MBH, as reliable probes of MBH properties. Such events occur in all galaxies, are visible across cosmological distances and involve few free parameters. However, theoretical TDE models are unclear. To this end, researchers will provide first-principle simulations and accurate models of TDE light curves and spectra to derive MBH parameters. Upcoming all-sky surveys such as ULTRASAT and LSST are expected increase TDE observations from dozens to thousands.
Objective
Massive black holes (MBHs) are key players in high energy astrophysics, galaxy formation and evolution, and astroparticle physics. Despite their centrality to astronomy, we still cannot answer basic questions about MBHs. What are their origins? How have they grown over cosmic time? What are their current demographics? To answer these questions, the project will turn tidal disruption events (TDEs) from curiosities into reliable probes of MBH parameters.
A TDE occurs when an unlucky star passes too close to a MBH and is ripped apart by tidal forces. The ensuing fallback of debris powers a highly luminous, potentially multimessenger flare. TDEs are, in principle, ideal probes of MBH properties. Unlike standard techniques for measuring MBHs, TDEs (i) happen in all galaxies, (ii) are visible to cosmological distances, and (iii) involve very few free parameters. But the theoretical picture of TDEs remains confused, as the large dynamic range of TDEs has prevented ab initio simulations to determine how tidal debris evolves and radiates. At present, there is no consensus on the geometry or even the power source of observed TDE flares, making robust parameter estimation impossible. I will solve these open theoretical questions, capitalizing on my recent pilot study that for the first time ever simulated a typical, first-principles TDE.
This project will deliver (a) first-principles simulations of the evolution and emission of TDEs; (b) idealized but accurate models of TDE light curves and spectra suitable for parameter estimation; (c) a first-ever sample of MBH parameters derived from fitting ab initio models to TDE observations. I will use these results to sidestep the limitations of other MBH measurement techniques and to place unique constraints on the formation and growth history of the smallest MBHs. This work is urgently needed in light of upcoming all-sky surveys such as ULTRASAT and LSST, which will expand the TDE sample from dozens to thousands in the mid-2020s.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- humanities history and archaeology history
- natural sciences physical sciences astronomy astrophysics
- social sciences sociology demography census
- natural sciences mathematics pure mathematics geometry
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2023-COG
See all projects funded under this callHost institution
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
91904 JERUSALEM
Israel
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.