#AthenaNuggets: Mapping the Surroundings of Supermassive Black Holes

#AthenaNuggets 48, written by Stefano Bianchi, deals with Supermassive Black Holes (SMBHs) present in Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN). Its X-ray emission is a unique feature and enables to pierce the inner regions close to the SMBHs. Detailed mapping of the neighbourhood of these SMBHs would achieve a large leap forward in the understanding of the accretion flow around AGN and their corresponding role in shaping the Universe.

Athena will establish a real breakthrough in this field, thanks to the high energy resolution and collecting area of the Athena/X-IFU, which will link their high imaging and timing capabilities.