Our Galactic Center - A Unique Laboratory for the Physics & Astrophysics of Black Holes

Explore a plenary session from the APS April Meeting 2019 featuring Andrea M Ghez's presentation on the Galactic Center as a unique laboratory for black hole physics and astrophysics. Delve into groundbreaking research on supermassive black holes, including evidence from stellar orbits and the application of advanced imaging techniques like speckle imaging and adaptive optics. Learn about the challenges to fundamental physics posed by these cosmic phenomena and how high-resolution studies have revealed unexpected behaviors near supermassive black holes, altering our understanding of galaxy formation and evolution. Discover how cutting-edge technology has enabled tests of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity in unprecedented regimes, particularly through precise measurements of star SO-2's orbit. Gain insights into the importance of understanding systematics in precision measurements, the potential impact of hidden companions on redshift data, and intriguing hypotheses about unexpected results in the Galactic Center, including the possibility of black hole-driven binary star mergers.

Intro
Two Big Picture Perspectives
Several Advances Made Measurements of Stellar Orbits Possible
Introduced Spectroscopy
SO-2 Dominates our knowledge of the Central Potential
Provides Strongest Case for Existence of a Supermassive Black
SO-2 Offers Direct Test of General Relativity near a Super Massive Black Hole
SO-2 First Star to Go Through GC Periapse with Full Orbital Phase Coverage
SO-2 Went Through Closest Approach This Past Summer
Understanding Systematics is Critical for this Precision Measurement
Another Potential Source of Systematics for Redshift is Hidden Companion
Galactic Center Has Taught us to Expect the Unexpected
G2 May be a Black Hole Driven Binary Star Merger
Can Stellar Binary Systems Explain our Other Unexpected Results?