Paul has a lot of new research underway. Currently, he's
working on 3 main projects. For two of them he's using
RXTE to study how rapidly the X-ray output from active galaxies
varies; the amount of X-ray light we see from an active galaxy can
change in a matter of seconds, which is truly amazing for something
that size.
The third project Paul's working on involves examining
ASCA images of previously unknown energetic X-ray objects. "The
idea behind the first two projects is to try and work out why and
how X-rays are given off from near black holes in the middle
of galaxies," Paul says. The idea behind the third project is,
"to look for 'hidden' black holes in galaxies shrouded in dust
and gas. The X-rays can penetrate through these and reveal the
black hole swallowing up matter" at the center of these galaxies.
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![artist's
conception of the center of an active galaxy](active_galaxy_med.jpg)
Artist's Conception of the Center of an Active Galaxy
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