Academic profile
Distinguished University Professor of Astronomy · University of Maryland
Christopher Reynolds is a Professor in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Maryland, College Park. He and his group conduct a broad program of research in theoretical and observational high-energy astrophysics with a focus on supermassive black holes.
The observational aspects of this work center on X-ray studies of black holes and diffuse hot plasma using Chandra, XMM-Newton, NuSTAR, and Swift. The theoretical work focuses on the magnetohydrodynamics and plasma physics of black-hole accretion flows and the hot diffuse plasmas in galaxies and galaxy clusters.
Reynolds also serves as Director of the UMD/NASA-GSFC Joint Space Science Institute and Principal Investigator of the Advanced X-ray Imaging Satellite (AXIS). He recently returned to UMD following service as the Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at the University of Cambridge and Deputy Director of the Institute of Astronomy.
My research connects strong gravity, plasma astrophysics, and X-ray observation. A recurring theme is the attempt to infer the dynamics of accretion flows, coronae, outflows, and hot atmospheres from increasingly precise data, while also understanding the physical assumptions that underlie those inferences.
Across that work, I have maintained a long-standing interest in how black holes grow, how accretion disks transport angular momentum and magnetic flux, how AGN couple to their environments, and how future X-ray missions can extend the reach of astrophysical measurements.
Black holes and accretion
Observational and theoretical work on supermassive black holes, X-ray reflection, spectral diagnostics, time variability, and the interpretation of strong-gravity signals.
Diffuse hot plasma
Studies of the hot atmospheres of galaxies and clusters, including plasma microphysics, suppression of thermal conduction, and the feedback processes associated with AGN activity.
Future observatories
Mission development and science planning for AXIS and other future facilities aimed at high-resolution X-ray imaging and spectroscopy.
Axion-like particles
Using X-ray observations of black holes, galaxies, and galaxy clusters to search for axion-like particles through photon–ALP conversion in magnetized plasmas, linking high-energy astrophysics with particle physics and cosmology.
