1.van Loon, J. T., et al. (2025). “Binarity at LOw Metallicity (BLOeM): The multiplicity properties and evolution of BAF-type supergiants.” Astronomy & Astrophysics. Open access. Citations: 3
Summary: This study characterizes how binarity among B-, A-, and F-type supergiants varies in environments with sub-solar metallicity. By combining multi-epoch spectroscopy with evolutionary models, the authors trace the orbital parameter distributions and predict future mass-transfer events, shedding light on how metallicity influences supergiant binary evolution.
2.van Loon, J. T., et al. (2025). “Binarity at LOw Metallicity (BLOeM): Multiplicity of early B-type supergiants in the Small Magellanic Cloud.” Astronomy & Astrophysics. Open access. Citations: 2
Summary: Focusing on early B-type supergiants in the SMC, this paper surveys radial-velocity variability to derive binary fractions and period distributions. The results indicate an enhanced close-binary fraction compared to the Milky Way, suggesting that low-metallicity environments favor tighter massive-star pairs.
3.van Loon, J. T., et al. (2025). “Binarity at LOw Metallicity (BLOeM): Enhanced multiplicity of early B-type dwarfs and giants at Z = 0.2 Z⊙.” Astronomy & Astrophysics. Open access. Citations: 3
Summary: Comparing early B-type dwarfs and giants at one-fifth solar metallicity, the authors find a significant boost in multiplicity rates relative to Galactic counterparts. The paper discusses how metallicity-dependent stellar winds and opacities may alter binary interaction histories and merger outcomes.
4.van Loon, J. T., et al. (2025). “The Gaseous Blowout of the 30 Doradus Starburst Region in the LMC.” The Astrophysical Journal. Open access. Citations: 0
Summary: This article presents integral-field spectroscopy and narrowband imaging of 30 Doradus, revealing large-scale outflows of ionized gas driven by clustered massive stars. It quantifies mass-loading factors and velocity structures, offering key constraints on feedback processes in one of the Local Group’s most active starburst complexes.
5.van Loon, J. T., et al. (2025). “Binarity at LOw Metallicity (BLOeM): Multiplicity properties of Oe and Be stars.” Astronomy & Astrophysics. Citations: 3
Summary: Investigating emission-line Oe and Be stars in metal-poor regions, this paper combines spectroscopic monitoring and photometric variability to determine companion frequencies. Results show that disk-hosting massive stars maintain high binary fractions, implying that decretion-disk formation and binarity are closely linked regardless of metallicity.
6.van Loon, J. T., et al. (2025). “A Neutral Hydrogen Absorption Study of Cold Gas in the Outskirts of the Magellanic Clouds Using the GASKAP-Hi Survey.” The Astronomical Journal. Citations: 0
Summary: Utilizing early GASKAP-Hi data, the authors detect H I absorption against background continuum sources to probe cold atomic gas in the Magellanic periphery. The absorption spectra reveal cold clumps with temperatures below 50 K, highlighting interfaces between tidal streams and the diffuse halo.
7.van Loon, J. T., et al. (2025). “Processing of GASKAP-HI pilot survey data using a commercial supercomputer.” Astronomy and Computing. Open access. Citations: 0
Summary: This technical report describes the deployment of GPU-accelerated pipelines on a commercial HPC system to calibrate and image GASKAP-Hi pilot survey data. Benchmarks demonstrate a 5× speedup over traditional clusters, paving the way for timely processing of the full survey.
8.van Loon, J. T., et al. (2025). “The EDIBLES survey X. The 6196 Å diffuse interstellar band: Identification of side DIBs as an indication of a small carrier molecule.” Astronomy & Astrophysics. Citations: 0
Summary: Part of the EDIBLES series, this paper analyzes high-resolution spectra to decompose the 6196 Å DIB into sub-components (“side DIBs”). The identification of narrow sub-features supports the hypothesis that small, possibly polyatomic, molecules are responsible for this diffuse band.
9.van Loon, J. T., et al. (2025). “X-Shooting ULLYSES: Massive stars at low metallicity X. Physical parameters and feedback of massive stars in the LMC N11 B star-forming region.” Astronomy & Astrophysics. Open access. Citations: 2
Summary: Using X-Shooter spectroscopy of HST-selected ULLYSES targets, the authors derive stellar parameters and wind properties of massive stars in N11 B. They quantify ionizing flux and mechanical energy output, providing refined inputs for feedback models in metal-poor star-forming regions.
10.van Loon, J. T., et al. (2025). “Equatorial Enhancement in the Dustiest OH/IR Stars in the Galactic Bulge.” The Astrophysical Journal. Open access. Citations: 0
Summary: High-resolution mid-infrared imaging of OH/IR stars near the Galactic center reveals pronounced equatorial dust enhancements. Modeling indicates that slow winds combined with stellar rotation lead to toroidal dust distributions, impacting mass-loss estimates for bulge AGB stars.
Conclusion
van Loon’s combination of groundbreaking research, global leadership in collaborative surveys, and passionate science communication aligns perfectly with the Best Researcher Award’s emphasis on excellence, innovation, and societal impact. His work not only advances fundamental astrophysics but also inspires both the scientific community and the public at large