Thomas Tauris

Thomas Tauris is a Professor in the Department of Materials and Production at Aalborg University, within The Faculty of Engineering and Science. His research focuses on theoretical astrophysics, particularly compact objects, gravitational waves, and binary star evolution. He maintains an active research group and collaborates internationally, including with the Max-Planck-Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn.

• PhD in Astrophysics, Aarhus University (1997)
• Dr. rer.nat.habil in Astrophysics, University of Bonn (2015)

His research interests span neutron stars, black holes, white dwarfs, X-ray binaries, millisecond pulsars, supernovae, and stellar evolution in binary systems. He is particularly known for modeling the formation and evolution of compact binaries and their role as gravitational wave sources. His work bridges theoretical modeling with observational astrophysics, especially in multi-messenger contexts.

The recent articles highlight trends in neutron star and black hole formation, pulsar-binary systems, gravitational wave progenitors, and supernova mechanisms. Key themes include mass-gap objects, natal kicks, kilonovae, and binary evolution in low-metallicity environments. His 2023 textbook Physics of Binary Star Evolution (with Ed van den Heuvel) is a major contribution to the field.

He has supervised numerous PhD, MSc, and BSc students, with recent advisees working on topics such as merging neutron stars, recycled pulsars, and ultra-luminous X-ray binaries. He teaches courses in astrophysics, mechanics, and physics of compact objects.

Thomas Tauris leads a research group focused on compact objects and has hosted postdoctoral researchers from institutions in China. He is involved in major collaborative efforts such as the Einstein Telescope and LISA science consortia, contributing to the future of gravitational wave astrophysics.