Dynamical evolution of super-massive black holes in galaxy centers

Requirements:
The candidate should have a first class or upper second class honours degree, or a master’s degree (or equivalent qualification), in astronomy, physics, planetary sciences, applied mathematics, or related fields. Evidence of good spoken and written English is essential. The candidate should have an IELTS score of 6.5 or above, if the first language is not English. This position is open to all qualified candidates irrespective of nationality.

Degree:
The student will be awarded a PhD degree from the University of Liverpool (UK) upon successful completion of the program.

Project Description:
Galaxies are the building blocks of our Universe, but their origin and evolution is still poorly understood. Most galaxies, including our own Milky Way, host a supermassive black hole in their center. These black holes grow over time, partially through accretion of stars and gas, but primarily due to mergers with other black holes that were deposited in their host galaxy following galaxy mergers. Following a galaxy merger, the two black holes of a merged galaxy pair sink to the center of the merger product, where they form a shrinking binary and finally coalesce. This violent event produces gravitational waves, a phenomenon that was detected for the first time in 2015. This process takes over a gigayear; chances are large that another galaxy merger occurs, and a third black hole his deposited in the system. This third body interacts gravitationally with the others, and may speed up, slow down, or even prevent black hole mergers. The PhD candidate will carry out computer simulations to study such situations, in order to study the dynamics and fate of the different possible configurations, and will also predict gravitational wave signatures to prepare for the next generation of gravitational wave detection facilities. The study will be carried out in collaboration with Prof. Rainer Spurzem (National Astronomical Observatories of China, CAS, and Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, Zentrum fur Astronomie; University Heidelberg) and Dr. Thorsten Naab (University Observatory Munich, Faculty of Physics, Ludwig Maximillans University, and Max-Planck-Institute for Astrophysics).

For more information about doctoral scholarship and PhD programme at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU): Please visit
http://www.xjtlu.edu.cn/en/admissions/phd/entry-requirements.html

http://www.xjtlu.edu.cn/en/admissions/phd/feesscholarships.html

How to Apply:
Interested applicants are advised to email…....@xjtlu.edu.cn (XJTLU principal supervisor’s email address) the following documents for initial review and assessment (please put the project title in the subject line).
• CV
• Two reference letters with company/university letterhead
• Personal statement outlining your interest in the position
• Proof of English language proficiency (an IELTS score of 6.5 or above)
• Verified school transcripts in both Chinese and English (for international students, only the English version is required)
• Verified certificates of education qualifications in both Chinese and English (for international students, only the English version is required)

Informal enquiries may be addressed to Dr. M.B.N. Kouwenhoven ([Email Address Removed]), whose personal profile is linked below:
http://www.xjtlu.edu.cn/en/departments/academic-departments/mathematical-sciences/staff/m-kouwenhoven

and:

http://www.thijskouwenhoven.net.