The Physical Foundations of Precision Black Hole Astrophysics with George Wong

Horizon-scale black hole images offer an exciting new way to study accretion, the origins of relativistic jets, and how spacetime geometry shapes the light we observe. But interpreting these observations requires understanding the physical connections between plasma motion, magnetic fields, and the radiation that reaches us. I will discuss how recent analytic and numerical work has clarified the physical mechanisms behind these signals, changing how we interpret simulations and what we can reliably infer from observations. I will show that flows with comparable horizon magnetic flux can sustain powerful jets yet exhibit markedly different dynamics and variability, demonstrating that horizon magnetic flux alone does not determine the dynamical state of the accretion flow. I will then use a simple relativistic inflow model to explain how black hole spin and plasma inertia shape the magnetic geometry traced by polarized synchrotron emission, clarifying the physical basis and limitations of polarization-based spin measurements. I will also briefly discuss how gravitational lensing encodes information about spacetime in image structure and time delays, and what we can recover despite complex plasma emission. I will conclude with my view of how these results can guide the next generation of black hole observations and what those measurements could tell us about accretion, jets, and spacetime.

Sponsored by the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences