Research, Publications, and Presentations

A deeper look at my research on active galactic nuclei, including a publication list and recorded talks.

Research Overview Publications Recorded Talks

Research Overview

I completed my PhD at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, working with VLTI-MATISSE. The main focus of my thesis was to understand the dusty envelopes of active galactic nuclei (AGN). To do this, we used mid-infrared interferometry to probe the dust at extremely high resolution. Using MATISSE at the VLTI, which combines 4 telescopes, we imaged this circumnuclear dust for the first time, giving an unprecedented glimpse into the “gas tank” which fuels the AGN.

 

I now work with the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer (LBTI) team at the University of Arizona to

1. develop and support new observing modes and techniques, and

2. to understand AGN feedback on their hosts using the high-sensitivity, high-resolution Fizeau imaging mode of the LBTI.

 

Active Galactic Nuclei

Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) are thought to play a major role in regulating star formation in their host galaxies, turning young, blue galaxies with many young stars into red and dead galaxies with primarily old stars and little new star formation. How exactly these powerful “engines” at the centers of galaxies regulate global star formation is not well understood. Moreover, while every galaxy has a supermassive black hole (SMBH) at the center, not every galaxy has an AGN. What exactly triggers an active phase and fuels the AGN? Through studying the dusty regions around AGN, we can better understand how material accretes onto the SMBH to cause an active phase.

 

Interferometry

Even the nearest AGN are appear so small on the sky that traditional telescopes cannot resolve their details. By combining the light from several telescopes, we obtain very high resolution measurements of the material immediately surrounding the AGN. I work to develop new and better ways to turn these measurements into images and to create general data reduction tools for other science cases. Situated at the interface between instrumentation and astrophysics, I get to experiment with new observing setups and science cases.

📚 First-Author Publications

A complete and always up-to-date list can be found on ADS

 

  • Direct imaging of active galactic nucleus outflows and their origin with the 23 m Large Binocular Telescope
    Nature Astronomy, 2025
    Read Online
    Press Releases: University of Arizona, Max Planck Institute for Astronomy
    Radio Interview: Listen Online
  • The LBTI: pioneering the ELT era
    Proceedings of the SPIE, 2024
    Read Online
  • The dusty heart of Circinus. II. Scrutinizing the LM-band dust morphology using MATISSE
    Astronomy and Astrophysics, 2023
    Read Online
  • The Dusty Hearts of AGN: Understanding the Central Parsec Through Imaging
    PhD Thesis, Universität Heidelberg, 2022
    Read Online
  • The dusty heart of Circinus. I. Imaging the circumnuclear dust in N-band
    Astronomy and Astrophysics, 2022
    Read Online
  • Subarcsecond Mid-infrared View of Local Active Galactic Nuclei. IV. The L- and M-band Imaging Atlas
    The Astrophysical Journal, 2021
    Read Online
  • The Evolution of Molecular Gas Fraction Traced by the CO Tully-Fisher Relation
    The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 2018
    Read Online

🎥 Recorded Talks

Public Talks/Outreach

  • Science with Extremely Large Telescopes: Direct Imaging of Active Galactic Nuclei
    Steward Observatory Public Lecture Series, Spring 2025
    Watch Online

Scientific Talks

  • Jacob Isbell - Imaging the Circumnuclear Dust in the Circinus Galaxy with MATISSE
    Sharpest Eyes on the Sky Conference, 2022
    Watch Online
  • A Subarcsecond L- and M-band Imaging Atlas of Local Active Galactic Nuclei | Jacob Isbell
    IR2020 Conference
    Watch Online