Hi, I'm Paul Baecke
Graduate Student at Leiden University - baecke@strw.leidenuniv.nl
I am a German Master's student based in Leiden, the Netherlands, where I am a studying Astronomy and Science Communication at Leiden University. I am specialising towards radio astronomy, with a keen interest in stars, binaries and exoplanets. This research intrigues me because it helps understanding planet habitability conditions better.
Recently I finished my Master's Thesis project at Leiden University, supervised by Dr. Joseph Callingham. I assessed the feasibility of a single Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) dish to observe M dwarfs and Long-Period Transients (LPTs).
I completed my Bachelor's Degree in Technical Physics at the Technical University of Ilmenau in 2022. My research project was focussed on raw antenna data from the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR).
In the academic year 2024/2025, I was part of the Kaiser Spring Lecture Committee, in the role of Ab-Actis and Assessor Logistics. We planned and executed a lecture series with invited speakers located at the Old Observatory in Leiden, inviting guests to hear researchers speak about a range of interdisciplary topics in a total of five lectures.
In my free time, I enjoy videomaking—especially filming and producing bikepacking and parkour videos. Through my studies in Science Communication and the extracurricular course in Video Journalism, I am able to combine this passion with academic work.
At the moment, I am looking for PhD positions. Not only radio astronomy interests me, but a wide variety of fields within Astronomy.
Research Experience
Master Thesis, Leiden University, 2025, Supervisor: Dr. Joseph Callingham
Abstract
Space weather around M dwarfs provides key insights into stellar magnetic fields, such as their topologies or field strengths, while also serving as a constraint on exoplanet habitability. M dwarfs have high stellar activity and emit bursts that are observable in radio wavelengths. Currently, space weather research is limited by a lack of long-term monitoring to measure radio flare energy distributions, for example. Meanwhile, the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) has single dishes that are partially available for long-term monitoring. This project aims to study the feasibility of the RT-1 dish for M dwarf monitoring, as the type of observational mode we require for this science is not standard for the telescope. We conducted observations on five selected sources - AD Leo, EQ Peg, WX UMa, ILT J1101, and PSV-1 - in the L1-band (1207-1335MHz), collecting a total of 165h of data. To mitigate the effects of radio frequency interference (RFI), we developed a noise reduction pipeline. We manually searched the resulting dynamical spectra for burst signatures and performed a Lomb-Scargle periodicity analysis. However, no bursts or significant periodicities were found in the observed data. A high level of RFI was observed, likely contributing to the non-detections, in addition to a limited telescope sensitivity. These findings suggest that the RFI environment of Westerbork makes it challenging to perform long-term monitoring campaigns of M dwarfs using a single dish.
Student Assistant, Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics, 2022/2023, Supervisor: Dr. Axel Schwope
Description
After my Bachelor's Degree, between November 2022 and January 2023, I completed a voluntary three-month research internship with the X-ray group at the Leibniz Institute for Astrophyics Potsdam (AIP). The AIP is a founding member of the eROSITA collaboration and a full member of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). During this time, I was introduced to X-ray astronomy and the study of compact white dwarf binaries and cataclysmic variables discovered with eROSITA and followed up by SDSS-V. I contributed to the preparation of data products for a publication, including finding charts, spectra, and multi-wavelength diagnostics such as color-magnitude diagrams and long-term optical light curves. I used tools such as Python, TOPCAT, LaTeX, and survey archives (Gaia, ZTF, WISE, CRTS, ATLAS) to process and visualize observational data. Through the techniques I applied were mostly foundational, this internship gave me valuable insights into large-scale international collaborations, multi-wavelength survey work, and the organization of research workflows. It also taught me how to quickly integrate into a new research field and academic group.
Bachelor Thesis, Technical University of Ilmenau, 2022, Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Stefan Wijnholds, Prof. Dr. Kathy Lüdge
Abstract
The LOw-Frequency ARray (LOFAR) is a large-scale radio interferometer covering a frequency range from 10-240MHz. The Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON) is operating the telescope. The Amsterdam-ASTRON Radio Transients Facility And Analysis Center (AARTFAAC) is a system for real time transient detection aiming to utilize the full LOFAR resolution. Within the LOFAR data processing stream the raw data of each antenna is getting saved for around five seconds on the so called transient buffer boards (TBBs). When triggered, this data can be read out and analyzed. In this bachelor's thesis a TBB dataset measured in late March 2022 has been analysed preparing a pulsar detection. Being a recently retrieved dataset, the data had not yet been analysed in regards of transient search and also provides the unique possibility to do so with raw antenna data which has not been preprocessed. For the retrieved dataset antennas have been flagged and an imaging and calibration pipeline has been implemented. The comparison of two methods of beamforming, dipolewise incoherent and coherent beamforming, allows the definition of a strategy for efficient all-sky pulsar search of the northern hemisphere. Estimating sensitivities with arrays of increasing sizes going from AARTFAAC-6 (Superterp stations) to AARTFAAC-12 (core stations) to LOFAR-NL (all Dutch stations), starting with the transition from a single station to AARTFAAC-6 follow up. This thesis presents a possible path to analyze all-sky (northern hemisphere) raw antenna data for pulsar detection, which can be applied in the further AARTFAAC development.
Internship, Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON), 2022, Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Stefan Wijnholds
Description
The scientific goal of the internship was to participate in the development of an expansion to the Amsterdam-ASTRON Radio Transients Facility And Analysis Center (AARTFAAC) system. The AARTFAAC system is focussed on transient detection. This system works for the core stations so far, but ASTRON is aiming to utilize the LOFAR with its full resolution for transient detection. To reach this, immense amounts of data have to be analysed in a short amount of time. My work during the time of the internship included getting to know how AARTFAAC works and also to see current developments towards an all LOFAR system.
Education
Leiden University
2024-2026 Master of Science in Astronomy and Science Communication and Society.
Coursework included: Radio Astronomy, Stellar Structure and Evolution, Exo-Planets A&B (Interiors, Atmospheres, Space Physics), Detection of Light A, Science Journalism, Video Journalism
2023-2024 Pre-Master in Astronomy
Coursework included: Radiative Processes, Stars, Astronomy Lab and Observing Project
Technical University of Ilmenau
2019-2022 Bachelor of Science in Technical Physics
Coursework included: Experimental Physics, Theoretical Physics, Chemistry, Electronics, Solid state physics, Semi-Conductors and Surfaces
Research Publications
Baecke, P., Rooijakkers, P., Bloot, S., et al. Stellar radio emission from the binary system EQ Pegasi (preliminary title), in prep.
A. Schwope, J. Kurpas, P. Baecke et al. June 2024. Compact white dwarf binaries in the combined SRG/eROSITA/SDSS/eFEDS survey. Astronomy & Astrophysics. Volume 686, A110. DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202348426
Conferences and Poster
Sep 2025
Netherlands Radio Astronomy Community Days
Amsterdam, Website
May 2025
Netherlands Astronomy Conference
Nijmegen, Conference Website
Presented poster titled 5G Killed the Radio Star - Hunting for Radio Stars with WSRT
view