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Research Summary

Julian Krolik is a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy of the Johns Hopkins University. His research is in the area of theoretical astrophysics, particularly as it applies to the active galactic nuclei and high-energy astrophysics.  Currently his work is focused on the physics of accretion disks, especially with a view towards linking the physics of MHD turbulence within these disks to the light they produce.

To do this, he works with large-scale numerical simulation codes whose physics repertory includes the MHD equations in full general relativity and radiation diffusion (see picture below, illustrating magnetic field structure in matter accreting onto a spinning black hole).  Other projects include using data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to learn about quasars and their evolution.

He is the author Active Galactic Nuclei: From the Central Black Hole to the Galactic Environment, the first comprehensive graduate-level textbook on quasars, radio galaxies, and related objects.  Published by Princeton University Press in 1999, it is aimed at advanced graduate students and researchers in the field. If you would like to order a copy, you may do so directly from , either in a paper or a hardcover.