Project description
Uncovering how black holes blast matter at high speeds
Accreting black holes are often accompanied by relativistic jets – narrow beams of magnetised plasma – that blast outward at near-light speed. While these jets are well documented, their exact speed, composition, mechanical power and launching mechanisms remain unanswered questions in astrophysics. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the TimeKAT project aims to advance jet theory with the help of time-domain observations and fast multi-wavelength variability. By synchronising radio data with multi-wavelength observations, it will quantify jet bulk motion, define parameters for composition and mechanical power, and trace energy dissipation across different accretion phases. Ultimately, the project will reveal insights into the physical properties and mechanisms of stellar-mass black hole jets.
Objective
Understanding how black holes, the most extreme objects we know, accrete matter and channel it into relativistic jets is one of the central open problems in astrophysics. These powerful outflows, moving at nearly the speed of light, are capable of injecting vast amounts of energy into their surroundings, thereby shaping the interstellar medium and influencing the long-term evolution of their host galaxies. Yet, despite their importance on galactic scales, the intrinsic properties of jets, such as speed, composition, mechanical power, internal structure, and the physical mechanism that launches them, remain poorly constrained after decades of research.
In my proposed TimeKAT project, I will exploit fast multi-wavelength variability as a new and powerful probe of jet physics. By combining high-time-resolution radio data from MeerKAT with simultaneous infrared, optical, and X-ray observations, I will directly measure jet bulk motion, constrain their composition and mechanical power, and characterise their internal structure and energy dissipation across different accretion regimes. This two-step strategy, first fitting the spectral energy distribution, then modeling the timing properties, will provide the most stringent constraints yet on the physical properties and launching mechanisms of relativistic jets from stellar-mass black holes. Beyond advancing jet theory, this project will clarify how black hole outflows couple to their larger environment, from stellar neighbourhoods to galactic scales, shedding new light on the role of compact objects as drivers of cosmic feedback.
In parallel, I will develop and publicly release the first pipeline for radio timing studies with MeerKAT, unlocking an unexplored observational window. This will establish a foundation for short-timescale radio variability studies with the Square Kilometre Array, reinforcing European leadership in the field and delivering a lasting legacy to the astrophysics community.
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.
- natural sciences physical sciences astronomy astrophysics black holes
- natural sciences physical sciences astronomy planetary sciences celestial mechanics
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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.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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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
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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-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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00136 ROMA
Italy
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