What do smartphones, microwave ovens, and satellites have in common? They all produce radio signals that make it challenging for astronomers to detect faint, short-lived radio signals from space, such as those from pulsars, fast radio bursts, and long-period transients. Distinguishing these astrophysical signals from human-made radio signals requires specialised techniques. During his PhD, Leon Houben developed, tested, and applied such techniques to data from the 100-metre Effelsberg radio telescope and the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR).
Most of his work focused on searching enormous amounts of archived Effelsberg data. By processing this data with his custom-made tools, he discovered two new astrophysical sources and made an intriguing observation: more faint, unidentified signals were detected near the Milky Way than farther away. This may indicate that the Milky Way contains more yet undiscovered sources of short-lived radio signals. An exciting result that suggests a wealth of discoveries may await astronomers with next-generation instruments such as the Square Kilometre Array.
To obtain his doctorate in astronomy, Leon Houben will defend his thesis on Monday, September 28, in the Aula of the Radboud University. Alongside his astronomy research, he conducts research in the field of giftedness at the Radboud Centre of Social Sciences. As a seasoned public speaker, he regularly shares his fascination with the cosmos with a wider audience. Passionate about making science more accessible to the public, he founded Studio Synergy to create awareness installations that cross the boundaries of science and art. Inspired by the principle of learning by doing, his installations use hands-on experiences to make scientific knowledge more relatable and encourage participants to actively engage with science and art.