Observing black holes spin

@article{Reynolds2019ObservingBH,
  title={Observing black holes spin},
  author={Christopher S. Reynolds},
  journal={Nature Astronomy},
  year={2019},
  volume={3},
  pages={41-47}
}
  • C. Reynolds
  • Published 1 January 2019
  • Physics
  • Nature Astronomy
The spin of a black hole retains the memory of how the black hole grew, and can be a potent source of energy for powering relativistic jets. To understand the diagnostic power and astrophysical significance of black hole spin, however, we must first devise observational methods for measuring spin. Here, I describe the current state of black hole spin measurements, highlighting the progress made by X-ray astronomers, as well as the current excitement of gravitational wave- and radio astronomy… Expand
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