Testing the Standard Model of AGN

Dr. J. Ward Moody
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Brigham young University

Abstract:  Active Galactic Nuclei or "AGN"s are a class of objects including quasars, blazers, radio galaxies, and Seyfert galaxy nuclei.Current theory says they are all just different manifestations of the same "standard" phenomenon; a supermassive blackhole accreting gas onto a disk and blasting it back out into space in collimated jets.  By this model the difference between the above listed objects are differences in local obscuration, viewing angle, and rates of accretion.  I give a background on this topic, report on research done to test it, and describe how we are planning to extend this research using remotely operated telescopes.