Dissertation ideas

Short description: Using spectral decomposition methods (e.g. non-negative matrix factorization) to distinguish emission components in series of X-ray spectra from neutron star X-ray binaries during thermonuclear bursts on their surfaces.

Reading material: Koljonen K. et al.: Evidence of spreading layer emission in thermonuclear superburst | Koljonen K.: Unsupervised spectral decomposition of X-ray binaries with application to GX 339-4

Prerequisities: R (programming/data analysis language), coding experience

Short description: Using Cloudy photoionization code to fit high-resolution X-ray spectra from microquasar Cygnus X-3 to determine the effect of the intense X-ray emission on the ionization structure of the Wolf-Rayet companion star stellar wind.

Reading material: Szostek et al.: Effects of the stellar wind on X-ray spectra of Cygnus X-3

Prerequisities: Coding experience