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Postdoctoral Researcher
University of Michigan Department of Astronomy913 Dennison Building500 Church Street Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1042
Office Location(s): 913 Dennison Phone: 734.615.1583 Fax: 734.763.6317 capelop@umich.edu Research Website
PhD, Yale University | Key Collaborator: Marta Volonteri
Massive black hole dynamics and evolution
Pedro R. Capelo is interested in understanding massive black hole evolution and dynamics, with particular focus on black hole mass growth and spin evolution, as a consequence of galactic mergers and accretion. More specifically, he performs high-resolution simulations of galaxy mergers to study their connection with black hole mergers and black hole evolution, down to the formation of massive black hole binaries and beyond. He utilizes different methods, from analytical techniques to using both smoothed-particle hydrodynamic and adaptive mesh refined codes, that include realistic descriptions of star formation, supernova and black hole feedback, gas content and cooling. A firm theoretical understanding of the dynamics of massive black holes is important for several reasons: among these, to obtain tighter constraints on the gravitational recoil effect, in the context of gravitational waves studies; to achieve a better description of how black hole feedback works, within the currently favored scenario of galaxy evolution; and to test the interplay between star formation and black hole fueling.
Galaxy formation and evolution, cosmology, gravitational lensing, AGN and SN feedback, computational astrophysics.
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