Hi, I am an observational astrophysicist with expertise in radio and X-ray observations of galaxy clusters, jellyfish galaxies, and cluster radio sources.

CV    Publications    ORCID

Education

Employment

  • 2022-2025: Postdoctoral researcher at INAF - Osservatorio di Padova (Padova, Italy)
    Project: "Galaxies in clusters: the radio and X-ray view"
    Supervisor: Dr. Bianca M. Poggianti
  • 2021-2022: Postdoctoral researcher at INAF - Osservatorio di Padova (Padova, Italy)
    Project: "Characterizing galaxy evolution in clusters at radio wavelengths"
    Supervisor: Dr. Benedetta Vulcani
  • 08/2019 - 11/2019: Visiting Ph.D. student at Sterrewacht Leiden (Leiden, NL)
    Project "Detecting diffuse emission at the center of relaxed cluster with LOFAR"
    Supervisor: Prof. Huub Rottgering

Other

  • Since 2022: Member of the International Astronomy Union

Research

Ongoing projects:

Jellyfish galaxies

Ram pressure stripping, where the hot, pressurized intracluster medium (ICM) sweeps away a galaxy's interstellar medium (ISM), significantly influences galaxy evolution in clusters. "Jellyfish" galaxies, with their long tails of ionized plasma extending tens of kpc, offer insights into star formation in extreme conditions and the interactions between hot and cold plasmas.

[Image caption: Composite MUSE and LOFAR images of jellyfish galaxies .]

Radio emission in galaxy clusters

In galaxy clusters we can observe the largest radio sources in the universe. These objects are produced by complex interactions between magnetic field, cosmic rays and hot plasma. My research is focused on the study of the physical connection between the thermal and non-thermal plasma.

[Image caption: LOFAR image of the Kite radio source in Abell 2626.]

PT-REX

The study of spatial correlations between different emissions can provide key insights into the physical processes beneath. I developed the Point-to-point TRend Extractor (PT-REX) to automate this analysis. PT-REX can be used to compare radio, X-ray or optical emission with a set of different statistica tools. For further information, check out the article.

Invited seminars and talks:

  • 8-12 September 2025, Center for Astrophysics, U.S. - Magnetic Fields and Cosmic Rays across Diverse Scales: What’s Next?, talk 'On the nonthermal side of jellyfish galaxies in clusters';
  • 27-28 March 2025, Observatoire de Paris, France – Jellyfish Galaxies and ram-pressure stripping Workshop, talk: ‘Investigating the Intracluster Medium Viscosity Using the Tails of Jellyfish Galaxies’;
  • 17 February 2025, INAF-Osservatorio di Arcetri, Italy – Extragalactic Seminars series, talk: ‘Unveiling the Tails of Jellyfish Galaxies: A Multi-wavelength Perspective’;
  • 23 January 2025, INAF-Osservatorio di Cagliari, Italy – OACa Colloquium, talk: ‘On the nonthermal side of jellyfish galaxies in galaxy clusters’;
  • 15 February 2024, INAF-Osservatorio di Padova, Italy – Seminari INAF/OAPD - DFA, talk: ‘Unveiling the Tails of Jellyfish Galaxies: A Multi-wavelength Perspective’;
  • 4 October 2024, Center for Astrophysics, U.S. – Galaxy cluster meeting series, talk: ‘Exploring the non-thermal side of ram pressure stripping in clusters with jellyfish galaxies’ (remote);
  • 17-19 October 2022, Bochum, Germany – SFB-1491: Cosmic Interacting Matters - Workshop on cosmic ray transport and magnetic fields in the ISM and the CGM, talk: ‘A LOFAR perspective on ram pressure stripping, CRe transport, and galaxy evolution in galaxy clusters’;
  • 25 February 2022, Bologna, Italy – Seminars of the Instituto di Radioastronomia, talk: ‘The LOFAR-MeerKAT-VLA View on the Nonthermal Side of a Jellyfish Galaxy’.

Contact me

  • E-mail: alessandro.ignesti@inaf.it
  • Work address: Vicolo dell'Osservatorio, 5, 35122 Padova PD, Italy