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Sciences and Exploration Directorate

Sibasish Laha

(ASSOCIATE RESEARCH SCIENTIST)

Sibasish Laha's Contact Card & Information.
Email: sibasish.laha@nasa.gov
Phone: 301.286.9820
Org Code: 661
Address:
NASA/GSFC
Mail Code 661
Greenbelt, MD 20771
Employer: UMBC Univ. of MD, Baltimore County

Research Interests


Active Galactic Nuclei

Astrophysics: Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN)

My research interests focus on the study of the central engines of active galactic nuclei (AGN), using multi-wavelength data. I am also interested in radio/optical/UV/X-ray transients including Fast Radio bursts, Gamma Ray Bursts, Magnetars and Changing-look-AGN.

One of the recent discoveries made by my team includes the discovery of a 'potential magnetic pole flip in a supermassive black hole', published in Astrophysical Journal: 2022ApJ...931....5L

And press released by NASA in May 2022: https://www.nasa.gov/universe/nasas-swift-tracks-potential-magnetic-flip-of-monster-black-hole/

More recently (in Jan 2025) we discovered:

# An X-ray Quasi-Periodic-Oscillation (QPO) near a supermassive black hole: 2025Natur.638..370M (Nature Journal)

# A real-time launch of a radio Jet from an Active Galaxy: 2025ApJ...979L...2M. (ApJ Letters)

# A Multi-wavelength view of a Jet launch in an Active Galaxy: 2025ApJ...981..125L (ApJ)

And press released by NASA in Jan 2025: https://science.nasa.gov/missions/nustar/astronomers-catch-unprecedented-features-at-brink-of-active-black-hole/


Our recent review on AGN corona is now published (in March 2025) in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Science: 2025FrASS..1130392L

Awards


## NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal 2022.

Citation of the award: For the Discovery of Magnetic pole flip in Supermassive Black Hole.

The Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal is awarded by NASA for "unusually significant scientific contribution toward achievement of aeronautical or space exploration goals"

Link to NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal award page


## NASA Robert H. Goddard award for Exceptional Achievement for Science 2022.

Citation of the award: For the Discovery of Magnetic pole flip in Supermassive Black Hole.

This is an Honor award by NASA given to scientists demonstrating excellence in science and leadership.


## Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society (FRAS)

This is a membership to one of the most prestigious Astronomy groups in the world.


## NASA GSFC Astrophysics Science Division (ASD) award 2021.

This is a special award given to the Multi-messenger-Astronomy (MMA) team by the director of Astrophysics Science Division at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. This award is for enhancing our understanding of the need in terms of science and instruments for future MMA studies involving synergies between Gravitational wave detectors, Neutrino detectors and Electromagnetic observatories.