About
I am a postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Astrophysics and Cosmology, University of Nova Gorica, Slovenia. I returned to UNG in October 2026 after a two-year Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND fellowship at the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague.
My research focuses on numerical simulations of tidal disruption events (TDEs), quasi-periodic eruptions (QPEs) and interactions between stars, accretion discs and supermassive black holes. I also work on astrometric microlensing and lead the ESA PRODEX GAME 2 project, using Gaia astrometric time series to search for microlensing events and other anomalies.
I obtained my PhD in Astrophysics at UNG in 2023, supervised by Prof. Dr. Andreja Gomboc and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Clément Bonnerot. I previously studied physics at the University of Ljubljana.
Postdoctoral Researcher
- Degree: PhD in Astrophysics
- Email: taj.jankovic@ung.si
- Location: Ajdovščina, Slovenia
Resumé
Download my curriculum vitae (PDF).
Research Experience
Postdoctoral Researcher
2026–present
University of Nova Gorica, Slovenia
Principal investigator of the ESA PRODEX GAME 2 project; TDE and QPE research.
MSCA COFUND Postdoctoral Fellow
2024–2026
Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague
Radiation-hydrodynamics simulations of star–disc collisions for QPEs.
Postdoctoral Researcher
2023–2024
University of Nova Gorica, Slovenia
Tidal disruption events and the GAME astrometric microlensing project.
Education
PhD in Astrophysics
2019–2023
University of Nova Gorica
MSc and BSc in Physics
2012–2019
University of Ljubljana
Grants and Expertise
ESA PRODEX GAME 2
2026–2027
Principal investigator. Astrometric microlensing and anomaly searches in Gaia DR4.
MSCA COFUND Fellowship
2024–2026
Postdoctoral fellowship at the Institute of Physics, Prague.
Numerical Methods
Smoothed-particle and radiation hydrodynamics, GR Phantom, MESA, Python, Fortran.
Selected Presentations
- Tidal Disruption Events and Nuclear Transients in Crete, 2026 — talk
- Tatra Astro Summit, 2025 — talk
- X-ray QPEs & Repeating Nuclear Transients, Madrid, 2025 — talk
- Transients Down Under, Melbourne, 2024 — talk
Publications
Selected publications are listed below. See ADS for the complete list.
First-author publications
- Radiation-hydrodynamics of star–disc collisions: From system parameters to outflows and lightcurves. Jankovič et al. (2026), A&A, accepted. arXiv · Code & data
- Radiation hydrodynamics of star-disc collisions for quasi-periodic eruptions. Jankovič et al. (2026), A&A, 710, A405. Journal · arXiv
- Astrometry-only detection of microlensing events with Gaia. Jankovič et al. (2025), A&A, 699, A156. Journal · arXiv
- Spin-induced offset stream self-crossing shocks in tidal disruption events. Jankovič, Bonnerot & Gomboc (2024), MNRAS, 529, 673–687. Journal · arXiv
- The mass fallback rate of the debris in relativistic stellar tidal disruption events. Jankovič & Gomboc (2023), ApJ, 946, 25. Journal · arXiv
Selected co-authored publications
- Śniegowska et al. (2026), Tidal disruption of a low-mass star in an active galactic nucleus as the origin of the PS16dtm outburst, A&A, 712, A16.
- Mondek et al. (2026), Evolution of quasi-periodic eruptions in the post-tidal disruption event accretion disk perturbed by an orbiting star, A&A, 709, A147.
- Bronikowski et al. (2025), Cluster-lensed supernova yields from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, A&A, 697, A146.
Research
Quasi-periodic eruptions and star–disc collisions
Quasi-periodic eruptions (QPEs) are recurring X-ray flares from galactic nuclei. I study whether they arise from stars repeatedly crossing accretion discs around supermassive black holes. Our 3D radiation-hydrodynamics simulations follow shock heating, outflows and radiation, and explore how system parameters affect the resulting light curves. First study · Parameter study · Movies
Stellar tidal disruption events
I model the disruption of stars by supermassive black holes using relativistic smoothed-particle hydrodynamics. My work addresses debris fallback and stream self-crossing shocks, including the effects of stellar structure and black-hole spin. I also study the inspiral and possible disruption of stripped stellar remnants. Fallback rates · Stream collisions
Gaia astrometric microlensing and GAME 2
Astrometric microlensing produces small changes in a star's apparent position. I helped develop the GAME Filter to identify such signals in Gaia observations. I now lead ESA PRODEX GAME 2, applying it to Gaia DR4 astrometric time series to search for microlensing events and other anomalies.
Gallery
Here you can find selected images and movies from my research projects.
Radiation hydrodynamics of star–disc collisions for QPEs
3D simulations of stellar passages through accretion discs, shock-powered outflows and their evolution. The full movie playlist, first paper, parameter study and code and data are available online.
Spin-induced offset stream self-crossing shocks in tidal disruption events (ADS/Astro-ph)
Tidal disruption events occur when a star is disrupted by a supermassive black hole, resulting in an elongated stream of gas that partly falls back to pericenter. Due to apsidal precession, the returning stream may collide with itself, leading to a self-crossing shock that launches an outflow. If the black hole spins, this collision may additionally be affected by Lense-Thirring precession that can cause an offset between the two stream components.
The video below shows a collision between non-offset streams in the strong collision regime.
The video below shows a collision between offset streams in the strong collision regime.
The video below shows a collision between offset streams in the grazing collision regime.
The mass fallback rate of the debris in relativistic TDEs (ADS/Astro-ph)
Highly energetic stellar tidal disruption events (TDEs) provide a way to study black hole characteristics and their environment. We simulate TDEs with the Phantom code in a general relativistic (GR) and Newtonian description of a supermassive black hole's gravity. Stars, which are placed in parabolic orbits with different $\beta$ parameters, are constructed with the stellar evolution code MESA and therefore have realistic stellar density profiles. We study the mass fallback rate of the debris $\dot{M}$ and its dependence on the $\beta$, stellar mass, and age as well as the black hole's spin and the choice of the gravity description. The Figures below show density slices of the TDE simulations of $1\,\mathrm{M_\odot}$ stars at $\approx 15\, t_\mathrm{dyn}$ after the pericenter passage. The arrows indicate the direction to the black hole. We rotate slices of the debris configurations so that the directions toward the SMBH are aligned.
Figure below shows density slices of ZAMS stars after disruption by a nonrotating SMBH with a Newtonian (first row) and a GR (second row) description of gravity.
Figure below shows density slices of TAMS stars after disruption by a nonrotating SMBH with a Newtonian (first row) and a GR (second row) description of gravity.
Figure below shows density slices of ZAMS (first row) and TAMS (second row) stars after disruption by a rotating SMBH for $\beta=3$.
Various movies
Disruption of a Sun-like star initially on an elliptic orbit with $\beta=5$, $e=0.95$ by a supermassive black hole with $M_\mathrm{bh}=10^6\,\mathrm{M_\odot}$.
Teaching and Supervision
I was a teaching assistant for the undergraduate courses Stellar Astrophysics 1 (2020–2023) and Stellar Astrophysics 2 (2019–2024) at UNG. I supervise PhD student Mario Aguilar (since 2023) on TDE simulations and supervised bachelor student Aleksej Jurca (2023–2024).
Outreach
I participate in public astronomy talks, educational events and interviews.
- Science Fair, Prague (2025) — simulation movie.
- Radio Trst A (2025) — interview on stellar tidal disruptions.
- Astrodebata, Ljubljana (2025) — public lecture on star–disc collisions.
- Delo interview (2021) and RTV interview (2020).
Contact
For discussions and collaboration in astrophysics, please get in touch.
Affiliation
Center for Astrophysics and Cosmology
University of Nova Gorica
Vipavska cesta 11c
5270 Ajdovščina, Slovenia