Postdoctoral position to investigate supernova remnants shocks using X-ray and optical data

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We are looking for an excellent postdoctoral researcher interested in X-ray imaging spectroscopy with potentially also optical spectroscopy experience/interest. The aim of the project is to investigate the properties of the highest shock velocities in our Milky Way, namely supernova remnant shocks. These shocks are responsible for heating the gas to more than 10^7 Kelvin as well as for accelerating cosmic rays to energies in excess of 10^13 eV.

This research is part of an EU Horizon 2020 funded project to understand collisionless shocks. The postdoctoral researcher will be responsible for supernova remnant shocks, but also engage with the collaborators working on interplanetary shocks. This requires also taking an active interest in the theory of collisionless shock physics and cosmic-ray acceleration. For the project existing data (XMM-Newton, Chandra, NuStar and ESO data) but potentially also new data (including potentially XRISM, IXPE) will be used to investigate shock heating and acceleration.

What are you going to do?

You are expected:

• to analyze X-ray and optical data of young supernova remnants and publishing the results in high level international journals, and presenting at leading conferences;
• write observing proposals;
• participate in coding models for X-ray emission, which should be made public;
• actively participate in the activities of the collaboration concerning collisionless shocks in general.

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