Speaker
Description
Quasi-periodic eruptions (QPEs) are recurrent X-ray bursts observed in active galactic nuclei, characterized by regular flares followed by periods of quiescence. One potential explanation for these eruptions involves extreme mass ratio inspirals (EMRIs), where a stellar-mass compact object, such as stellar mass black hole, spirals into a supermassive black hole (SMBH). During it orbit, the EMRI periodically impacts the inner accretion disk surrounding the SMBH. These disk impacts can generate shock waves, releasing energy in the form of X-ray bursts, potentially explaining the observed QPE behavior. The connection between EMRIs and QPEs provides a promising avenue to study both SMBH environments and EMRI dynamics through their electromagnetic signatures.
