Speaker
Sergei Nayakshin
(University of Leicester)
Description
The centre of the Milky Way presents a unique environment in which to study AGN activity and its effects on the host galaxy. As is well known, the central parsec of the Galaxy hosted a significant episode of star formation some 5 million years ago. It has thus been suggested that a massive gas cloud (or two) fell into the centre of the Galaxy, got bound to Sgr A*, formed a disc and collapsed into the stars. Interestingly, in the last few years it has emerged that Sgr A* could have produced a powerful outburst of very hot plasma which inflated the so-called Fermi Bubbles of the Milky Way. I discuss the implications of these observations for AGN feeding, nuclear star formation and feedback on host galaxies. A particularly exciting new development is the recently found positive mode of AGN feedback on star formation in surrounding dense gas.
Author
Sergei Nayakshin
(University of Leicester)