top of page
Thomas de Jaeger
Postdoctoral Fellow in Astrophysics
LPNHE/CNRS
RESUME
I am an astronomer with broad and multidisciplinary interests spanning supernova science, observational astronomy, multi-messenger astronomy, massive stars, instrumentation and cosmology.
I obtained a PhD in Astronomy from Universidad de Chile in 2016 under the supervision of Prof. Mario Hamuy. Then, I continued my research in supernovae, with Prof. Alexei Filippenko at the University of California, Berkeley. After this, I was a Research Postdoctoral Associate at the University of Hawaii, working with Prof. Benjamin Shappee on multi-messenger astronomy. Since December 2022, I have been a postdoc at the Université Pierre & Marie Curie (France), working with Prof. Nicolas Regnault and analysing Type Ia supernovae from the Zwicky Transient Factory to constrain the dark energy equation of state.
I am the first author of 12 publications in peer-to-peer reviews, including the most precise Universe expansion rate measurement from Type II supernovae. In total, I published 65 original articles in top international peer- reviewed journals, including seven papers led by under and graduate students that I mentored. With a total of 2,050 citations and a h-index of 25, my works are recognised worldwide. I have been invited to edit a book on the Hubble Tension for the Springer Series in Astrophysics and Cosmology (https://www.springer.com/).
I delivered over ten talks, of which seven were invited seminars at various Universities in Chile, France, Portugal, USA, and two outreach talks. Finally, I have PIed nine observational campaigns and I observed almost 100 nights at the largest observatories in the world.
IT
-
Op. Systems: Ubuntu, Windows
-
Astronomy: IRAF, Sky cat
-
Computing: Python, Matlab
-
Machine learning: classification ( Random Forest, SVM, KNN) clustering: (k-means, dbscan); Bayesian inferences, modelisation (regression, Gaussian Process)
-
Others: Latex, powerpoint
Languages
French: Native
English: Excellent command
Spanish: Fluent
Portuguese: Basics
Research
Interests
Supernovae and peculiar velocities, cosmological used of supernovae, reddening law, multi-messenger astronomy: Distance determination using Type II supernovae. Photometric and spectroscopic methods (PCM-SCM). Spectroscopy. Light-curves and colour-curves analysis. Host-galaxy extinction. Extinction laws. Physics of the explosion (Shock breakout). Observation strategy.
Educaction
Ph.D. in Astrophysics, Universidad de Chile (2011-2016)
-
Thesis Topic: Independent evidence for the cosmic acceleration from Type II supernovae.
-
Adviser: Professor Mario Hamuy
Master degree in Fundamentals physics, Université de Toulouse (2010-2011)
Master degree in Astrophysics Space Science and Planetology, Université de Toulouse (2008-2010)
-
Thesis Topic: Stellar fundamental parameters using the Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy
-
Adviser: Professor Denis Mourard
B.Sc. in Fundamentals physics, Université of Toulouse (2005-2008)
Academic
Appointements
-
Scientific Researcher, Université Pierre & Marie Curie, Paris (2022-present)
• Professor: Nicolas Regnault -
Junior Scientific Researcher, University of Hawai‘i, Mānoa (2020-2022)
• Professor: Ben Shappee
-
Postdoctoral Scholar, University of California, Berkeley (2016-2020)
• Professor: Alex Filippenko
Skills
Writing & Analytical:
-
Knowledge of scientific methods to organise and test ideas: logical thinking, critical analysis.
-
Ability to collect and analyse large datasets using statistical methods: Bayesian inferences, χ 2 and F tests
-
Capacity for using different research methodologies and solve complex problems.
-
Ability to work under pressure and deadlines: telescope time proposal deadlines, supervisor queries.
-
Extensive writing experience includes the publications in peer to peer reviews: The Astrophysical Journal, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Communication & Presentations:
-
Work presentations in department meetings and international conferences: oral and poster presentations.
-
Highly competent in explaining complex information and ideas to general public: school talks, Calan Observatory public guided visits.
-
Ability to listen concerns and to helpful: teaching assistant in astronomy and private tutoring in mathematics.
Organisational & Team Work:
-
Principal investigator of the SNe II cosmology project at UC Berkeley in collaboration with international teams: coordination of observations, meetings, and division of labour.
-
A reliable team member who complete in time any tasks assigned: proposal, papers.
-
Management of professional astronomical observations: strategy planning, data collection and reduction, data organisation and analysis, publication.
-
Cooperative works in various publications.
Publications
-
65 in peer to peer review: 12 as first author
-
> 2,000 citations in total, h-index: 25
-
50 TNS reports, 11 CBETS, 56 ATELs, 2 GCNs
-
A full list of refereed publications sorted by date
-
A full list of abstracts from The SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System
Collaborations
-
Member of the Zwicky Transient Factory France group (2022-present)
-
Member of the Host galaxies properties and supernova flows (2022-present)
-
Member of the Hawaii Supernova flows (2022-present)
-
Spectral Classification of Astronomical Transients (SCAT) survey (2020-present)
-
Mid-Infrared SupernovA Collaboration (MIRSNAC) (2022-present)
-
All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN) (2020-present)
-
Spectral Classification of Astronomical Transients (SCAT) survey (2020-present)
-
Participant of the Dark Energy Survey Type II supernova (2017-present)
-
External Collaborator of the Hyper Suprime Camera-SSP transient team (2016-present)
-
Member of the Millennium Institute of Astrophysics (2013 to 2016)
-
Member of the High Cadence Transient Survey (2013-present)
-
Participant of the Carnegie Supernovae Project (2013-present)
-
Member of the Public Spectroscopic Survey of Transient Objects (2012-2016)
-
Member of the Millennium Center for Supernoa Studies (2011-2013)
Observations
-
Optical Imaging and spectroscopy:
• FOCAS at Subaru telescope at Mauna Kea Observatory (8 n)
• SNIFS at UH2.2m telescope at Mauna Kea Observatory (40n)
• GOODMAN at SOAR telescope on Cerro Pachon (4 n)
• EFOSC2 and SOFI at NTT telecope at La Silla (3 n)
• WFCCD at Du Pont telescope at Las Campanas Observatory (3 n)
• DECam at Blanco telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (8 n)
• LDSS3 at CLAY telescope at Las Campanas Observatory (6 n)
• KAST at Shane telescope at Lick Observatory (10 n)
• LRIS at Keck telescope at Mauna Kea Observatory (6 n)
• DEIMOS at Keck telescope at Mauna Kea Observatory (5 n)
-
Optical interferometry:
• VEGA with the CHARA at mount Wilson (5 n)
-
Data reduction/analysis experience:
• Reduced OPTICAL/NIR imaging
• Reduced OPTICAL long-slit spectroscopy
• Experienced user of IRAF reduction
-
Observationnal project as PI:
• 2022B, UH2.2m Telescope, Mauna Kea, USA. Four nights with SNIFS
• 2022B, Subaru Telescope (8.2m), Mauna Kea, USA. Four nights with FOCAS.
• 2022A, Subaru Telescope (8.2m), Mauna Kea, USA. Two half nights with FO-
CAS.
• 2022A, UH2.2m Telescope, Mauna Kea, USA. Four nights with SNIFS.
• 2021B, Gemini North Telescope (8.2m), Mauna Kea, USA. eight hours with
GMOS as rapid Target of Opportunity (rToO)
• 2021A, Gemini North Telescope (8.2m), Mauna Kea, USA. eight hours with
GMOS as rapid Target of Opportunity (rToO).
• 2018A, Keck Telescope (10m), Mauna Kea, USA. three half nights with DEIMOS
• 2017B, Keck Telescope (10m), Mauna Kea, USA. three half nights with DEIMOS
• 2013A, Blanco Telescope (4m), Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, USA.
three nights with DECAM.
Talks
-
Invited speakers and colloquium:
• Particle Physics Seminar Committee, April 2022, Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA: Tension between the local Universe and the CMB: should the LCDM model be challenged or not?
• CosmoVerse Seminars: Online: Seminar Talk: Type II supernovae and the H0 tension.
• Institute for Astronomy, April 2021, Manoa, USA: SNe II cosmology: H0 tension.
• Center for astrophysics and gravitation. January 2019, Lisboa, Portugal: SNe II cosmology: Past and future.
• City College of San Francisco. May 2018, San Francisco, USA: An accelerating Universe.
• EWASS. April 2018, Liverpool, UK: Type II cosmology: last update.
• European Southern Observatory, April 2017, Santiago, Chile: Type II cosmology: a bright future.
-
Talks:
• Correcting Reddening Intelligently for cosmological Supernova Probes (CRISP). April 2020, Lisboa, Portugal:Contributed Talk: Implications of varying Rv in cosmology.
• Laboratoire de physique nucléaire et de hautes énergies. January 2019, Paris, France: SNe II cosmology: a bright future.
• A symposium celebrating Alex Filippenko’s 60th birthday. August 2018, Aptos, USA: SNe II cosmology: a bright future.
• South American Supernovae. April 2017, La Serena, Chile: Extending the Type II supernova Hubble diagram beyond z=0.3.
• Astro-explosions. December 2016, Berkeley, USA: Type II cosmology: a bright future.
• South American Supernovae. May 2016, La Plata, Argentina: High-z Type II cosmology.
• South American Supernovae April 2015, Santiago, Chile: The first SNe II HD using the photometric-colour method.
• SN Journal club. April 2014, Santiago, Chile: An accelerated Universe.
Grants
• JWST cycle 1,2021, (ID: 2114), PI: Ashall C., Co-I: inc. T. de Jaeger, “MIR
Spectroscopy of Type Ia Supernovae: The Key To Unlocking Their Explosions
and Element Production”, 317,651 USD
• JWST cycle 1, (ID: 2122), PI: Ashall C., Co-I: inc. T. de Jaeger, “Dust, Mass
Loss and Explosions of Massive Stars in the MIR”, 292,290 USD
• Proyecto Nacional (ID2020-115253GA-I00), PI: Galbany L., Co-I: inc. T.
de Jaeger, “Cornering the Hubble tension by studying systematics with SNe
(HOSTFLOWS)”, 155,577 EUR
• Hubble Space Telescope Cycle 28, PI: Filippenko A., Co-I: inc. T. de Jaeger,
“A Snapshot Survey of the Sites of Recent, Nearby Supernovae”, awarded 54
Snapshot Targets
•2020–2020 Hawaii Supernova flows Postdoctoral Fellow, 150,000 USD
•2016–2020 Bengier Postdoctoral Fellow: 200,000 USD
•2018 AAS travel grant: 2,000 USD
•2017 ESO visitor program: 5,000 USD
•2017 Supernovae Through the Ages travel grant: 2,500 USD
•2013–2016 PhD fellowship: Millenium of Astrophysics: 37,000 USD
•2013 IAU Symposium 296: Supernova environmental impacts: 3,000 USD
•2011–2013 PhD fellowship: Millennium Center for Supernova Studies: 24,000 USD
bottom of page