EPaCO — Extreme Plasma around Compact Objects

Our work focuses on the plasma physics of black holes, neutron stars, and magnetars — extreme environments where multi-scale and multi-physics processes drive some of the most dramatic events in the universe.

We combine astrophysics, plasma physics, theoretical modeling, and high-performance computing to investigate open questions motivated by observations. Our research explores the nonlinear plasma dynamics and quantum electrodynamics (QED) effects that shape compact-object environments, while our computational work develops simulation tools designed to capture these processes across scales and on next-generation computing systems.

We also care about how science is understood and shared, and engage in outreach and visualization to make complex ideas more accessible. This channel features research talks, simulations, visualizations, and other material from the EPaCO group at Dartmouth Physics & Astronomy.