Jason Hessels
McGill University, University of Amsterdam, University of Alberta, Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy
Research areas: Physics and Astronomy · Astronomy and Astrophysics · Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research · Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations · Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae
0000-0003-2317-1446
About
I am a Professor and the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Transient Astrophysics at the McGill University Department of Physics and Trottier Space Institute. I also hold appointments as a Professor at the University of Amsterdam's Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy and as a Senior Scientist at ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy.
I am an observational high-energy astrophysicist and radio astronomer, with over 25 years of experience in the field. Early in my career, I have worked on radio pulsars, which are neutron stars that emit lighthouse-like beams of radiation as they rotate. I discovered both the fastest-spinning neutron star known as well as the most massive neutron star known at the time. These provide strong constraints on the equation-of-state of neutron stars. I also co-led the study of a unique pulsar in a stellar triple system, which allowed us to test the universality of free fall – a central tenet of general relativity. In the past decade, the international AstroFlash research team that I founded at University of Amsterdam, ASTRON, JIVE, and McGill University has focused on understanding the fast radio burst (FRB) phenomenon. FRBs originate from distances of millions to billions of lightyears and are enormously more luminous than pulsars. Their origins remain mysterious, though we think that at least some FRBs come from the ultra-magnetised neutron stars known as magnetars. I co-led the discovery of the first-known repeating FRB source and revealed important insights into its emission. My two-dozen AstroFlash students and postdocs have made many important discoveries about FRBs, including localising them to their exact local neighbourhoods, probing their extreme plasma environments, and resolving their emission on microsecond timescales. I have co-authored two highly cited reviews on the topic of FRBs as well. Throughout my career, I have developed radio telescope systems like LOFAR and ALF that allow us to observe the sky in novel ways, to discover new transient phenomena, and to probe the extremes of the Universe.
Employment
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McGill University Professor - Canada Excellence Research Chair in Transient Astrophysics2024 - Present
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University of Amsterdam Professor2014 - Present
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Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy Senior Scientist2008 - Present
Education
- 2001 - 2007
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University of Alberta BSc (Honours)1997 - 2001
Projects & Funding
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Transient Astrophysics Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council2023 - 2024
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AstroFlash: probing the extremes of the Universe at high time and spatial resolution Dutch Research Council2020 - 2026
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COBALT2.0 and the LOFAR Mega Mode: Enabling a Multi-Tasking Radio Telescope Dutch Research Council2017 - 2018
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The LOFAR Interstellar Weather Report Dutch Research Council2014 - 2015
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Perfecting the Timing of Millisecond Pulsars, Nature's Near-Perfect Clocks Dutch Research Council2013 - 2016
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A Full Census of Radio Emitting Neutron Stars with LOFAR Dutch Research Council2009 - 2013
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Fundamental physics from fast-spinning neutron stars Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council2008 - 2009
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Fundamental physics from fast-spinning neutron stars Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council2007 - 2008
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Fundamental physics from fast-spinning neutron stars Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council2006 - 2007
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Searching for the Fastest Pulsars Using the Arecibo and Green Bank Telescopes Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council2005 - 2006
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Searching for the Fastest Pulsars Using the Arecibo and Green Bank Telescopes Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council2004 - 2005
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PGSA Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council2003 - 2004
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PGSA Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council2002 - 2003
Publications (462)
- A 4200-h HyperFlash and ÉCLAT campaign on the hyperactive FRB: constraining energetics with the most brilliant bursts Save
- Probing the Maximum Energy of Fast Radio Bursts Using Thousands of Sources from the Second CHIME/FRB Catalog Save
- No Measurable Changes in Radio and X-Ray Emission Surrounding Glitches in the Young Pulsar PSR J2229+6114 Save
- Tied-array beam flatfielding Save
- Multi-method Timing of Transient Radio Pulsars with the GBT350 and GBNCC Surveys Save
- VLBI Observations of SN 2012AU Reveal a Compact Radio Source a Decade Post Explosion Save
- A Steadily Declining Dispersion Measure for the Repeating Fast Radio Burst FRB 20220529A: Evidence for a Fast Radio Burst Engine Embedded in an Expanding Supernova Remnant Save
- A Novel Technique for Long-term Timing of Redback Millisecond Pulsars Save
- A HyperFlash and ÉCLAT view of the local environment and energetics of the repeating FRB 20240619D Save
- A Milliarcsecond Localization Associates FRB 20190417A with a Compact Persistent Radio Source and an Extreme Magnetoionic Environment Save
- A probe of the maximum energetics of fast radio bursts through a prolific repeating source Save
- LOFAR constraints on the repetition and environments of CHIME FRBs Save
- CHIME/FRB Outriggers: Design Overview Save
- A Hyperactive Fast Radio Burst Pinpointed in an SMC-like Satellite Host Galaxy Save
- Revisiting FRB 20121102A: milliarcsecond localisation and a decreasing dispersion measure Save
- The double neutron star PSR J1946+2052 I. Masses and tests of general relativity Save
- A Catalog of Local Universe Fast Radio Bursts from CHIME/FRB and the KKO Save
- A HyperFlash and ÈCLAT view of the local environment and energetics of the repeating FRB 20240619D Save
- A milliarcsecond localization associates FRB 20190417A with a compact, luminous persistent radio source and an extreme magneto-ionic environment Save
- CHIME/Fast Radio Burst/Pulsar Discovery of a Nearby Long-period Radio Transient with a Timing Glitch Save