Andreas Burkert How Can We Predict What Happens at an Event Horizon?

Andreas Burkert is Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics and Full Professor and Chair of Computational Astrophysics at the University of Munich. Other current positions include that of Higgs Fellow and Vice-Coordinator of the Cluster of Excellence ‘Origin and Structure of the Universe’. From 2012 to 2014, he chaired the German Astrophysics Board of Directors. In 2006, he became a member of the European Academy of Art and Sciences. Burkert’s research focuses on dynamical processes in the universe, including the structure and formation of dark matter halos and the formation and evolution of galaxies. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) named a minor planet after him in 2011.

Area of Research

Computational Astrophysics

since 2003

Full Professor

Ludwig Maximilian University Munich (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München)

Faculty of Physics

since 2006

Max Planck Fellow

Max Planck Society

Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics

1995-2003

Head of Theory Group

Max Planck Society

Max Planck Institute for Astronomy

1991-1994

Research Associate

Max Planck Society

Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics

1990-1991

Research Associate

University of California

1989-1990

Research Associate

University of Illinois, Urbana

1989

PhD in Astrophysics

Ludwig Maximilian University Munich (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München)

University Observatory Munich

1979-1986

Study of Physics and Astronomy

Ludwig Maximilian University Munich (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München)

- International Astronomical Union

- German Astronomical Society

- American Astronomical Society

- German Physical Society

- European Academy of Sciences

Prizes

- Elected as Associate of the Higgs Centre for Theoretical Astrophysics, Edinburgh (2012)

- Ludwig Biermann Prize from the German Astronomical Society (1993)

- Award for the Best Ph.D. in Physics at the University of Munich (1990)

Fellowships

- Feodor Lynen Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Humboldt Foundation (1989)

- Student Fellowship from the German Government (1984)

Every galaxy seems to have a supermassive black hole in its center. A black hole is defined as such because nothing can escape from a certain point inside, not even light. There is, however, a last stable orbit which is called the event horizon outside of which gas can still radiate away. This event horizon might be the key to understanding black holes and, therefore, observers are interested in resolving the event horizon to see what happens at it. As ANDREAS BURKERT explains in this video, his theoretical research group develops computational models based on the system of meteorologists to predict how a gas cloud would behave at the event horizon and in what time frame. They then check back with the observers and correct the models accordingly. These computational models thus assist the observers in understanding the events they see. This contributes to a better knowledge of black holes and, eventually, an increased understanding of the universe.

LT Video Publication DOI: https://doi.org/10.21036/LTPUB10432

The Post-pericenter Evolution of the Galactic Center Source G2

  • P. M. Plewa, S. Gillessen, O. Pfuhl, F. Eisenhauer, R. Genzel, A. Burkert, J. Dexter, M. Habibi, E George, T. Ott, I. Waisberg and S. von Fellenberg
  • The Astrophysical Journal
  • Published in 2017
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P. M. Plewa, S. Gillessen, O. Pfuhl, F. Eisenhauer, R. Genzel, A. Burkert, J. Dexter, M. Habibi, E George, T. Ott, I. Waisberg and S. von Fellenberg. "The Post-pericenter Evolution of the Galactic Center Source G2." The Astrophysical Journal 840, 1 (2017).

3D AMR Hydrosimulations of a Compact Source Scenario for the Galactic Centre Cloud G2

  • A. Ballone, M. Schartmann, A. Burkert, S. Gillessen, P. M. Plewa, R. Genzel, O. Pfuhl, F. Eisenhauer, M. Habibi, T. Ott and E. George
  • Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
  • Published in 2018
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A. Ballone, M. Schartmann, A. Burkert, S. Gillessen, P. M. Plewa, R. Genzel, O. Pfuhl, F. Eisenhauer, M. Habibi, T. Ott and E. George. "3D AMR Hydrosimulations of a Compact Source Scenario for the Galactic Centre Cloud G2." Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2018): 5288–5302. doi:10.1093/mnras/sty1408.

A Gas Cloud on its Way Towards the Super-massive Black Hole in the Galactic Centre

  • S. Gillessen, L. Genzel, T. K. Fritz, E. Quataert, C. Alig, A. Burkert, J. Cuadra, F. Eisenhauer, O. Pfuhl, K. Dodds-Eden, C. F. Gammie and T. Ott
  • Nature
  • Published in 2012
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S. Gillessen, L. Genzel, T. K. Fritz, E. Quataert, C. Alig, A. Burkert, J. Cuadra, F. Eisenhauer, O. Pfuhl, K. Dodds-Eden, C. F. Gammie and T. Ott. "A Gas Cloud on its Way Towards the Super-massive Black Hole in the Galactic Centre." Nature 481 (2012). doi:doi:10.1038/nature10652.

Physics of the Galactic Center Cloud G2, on Its Way Toward the Supermassive Black Hole

  • A. Burkert, M. Schartmann, C. Alig, S. Gillessen, R. Genzel, T.K. Fritz and F. Eisenhauer
  • The Astrophysical Journal
  • Published in 2012
Get Full Access
A. Burkert, M. Schartmann, C. Alig, S. Gillessen, R. Genzel, T.K. Fritz and F. Eisenhauer. "Physics of the Galactic Center Cloud G2, on Its Way Toward the Supermassive Black Hole." The Astrophysical Journal 750, 58 (2012). doi:10.1088/0004-637X/750/1/58.