FDP-MBH · Fundamental dynamical processes near massive black holes in galactic nuclei

I propose to combine analytical studies and simulations to explore fundamental open questions in the dynamics and statistical mechanics of stars near massive black holes. These directly affect key issues such as the rate of supply of single and binary stars to the black hole, the growth and evolution of single and binary massive black holes and the connections to the evolution of the host galaxy, capture of stars around the black hole, the rate and modes of gravitational wave emission from captured compact objects, stellar tidal heating and destruction, and the emergence of ""exotic"" stellar populations around massive black holes. These processes have immediate observational implications and relevance in view of the huge amounts of data on massive black holes and galactic nuclei coming from earth-bound and space-borne telescopes, from across the electromagnetic spectrum, from cosmic rays, and in the near future also from neutrinos and gravitational waves.""