This page provides an overview of my research papers, as well as the conference talks and posters that I have personally presented or contributed to through collaborations with colleagues. For more information about my research interests and the various projects that have led to the contributions listed on this page, please visit the Research part of the website. There, you will find more detailed information about my research, including ongoing and past projects. Please do not hesitate to reach me out if you have any questions or would like to discuss any of my research in more detail.

Papers

FEATURED PAPERS

Unequivocal detection of the tidal deformation of a red giant in a binary system via interferometry

Merc, J., Boffin H. M. J. (2024). A&A, 692, A218

Publisher   ADS

Accretion-induced flickering variability among symbiotic stars from space photometry with NASA TESS

Merc, J., Beck, P. G., Mathur, S., García, R. A. (2024). A&A, 683, A84

Publisher   ADS

V618 Sgr: Galactic eclipsing symbiotic nova detected in repeated outbursts
 

Merc, J., Gális, R., Velez, P., et al. (2023). MNRAS, 523, 163

Publisher   ADS

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

Talks

2024

  • November 2024 - Merc, J. Revisiting mass transfer and accretion in symbiotic binaries in the Gaia era. (IAC Research Division Seminar, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain)
  • October 2024 - Merc, J. Symbiotic stars in the era of modern ground- and space-based surveys (Invited talk). (Hot Stars: Life with Circumstellar Matter, Almaty, Kazakhstan)
  • August 2024 - Merc, J. Symbiotic binaries in the era of space-based surveys. (Seminar of Dr. Karl Remeis Observatory, Bamberg, Germany)
  • July 2024 - Merc, J., Mulato, L. Validation of Gaia DR3 symbiotic candidates and search for new symbiotic sources. (European Astronomical Society Annual Meeting 2024, Padova, Italy)
  • June 2024 - Merc, J., Beck, P. G., Mathur, S., García, R. A. Variability of symbiotic stars from the New Online Database of Symbiotic Variables with NASA TESS. (Symbiotic stars, weird novae, and related embarrassing binaries, Prague, Czech Republic)
  • June 2024 - Laversveiler, M., Gonçalves, D. R., Rocha-Pinto, H. J., Merc, J. The Symbiotic Star Population in Nearby Galaxies and its Tenuous Link with Type Ia Supernovae Events. (Symbiotic stars, weird novae, and related embarrassing binaries, Prague, Czech Republic)
  • June 2024 - Mulato L., Merc, J., Charbonnel, S. et al. Search for new symbiotic stars using the Gaia DR3 data. (Symbiotic stars, weird novae, and related embarrassing binaries, Prague, Czech Republic)
  • June 2024 - Petit, T., Merc, J., Gális, R. et al. DeGaPe 35: Amateur discovery and characterization of a new southern symbiotic star. (Symbiotic stars, weird novae, and related embarrassing binaries, Prague, Czech Republic)

2023

  • October 2023 - Merc, J. Symbiotic binaries observed from space with Gaia and TESS. (Seminar of the Astronomical Institute of Charles University. Prague, Czech Republic)
  • October 2023 - Merc, J. Detecting symbiotic stars in outbursts. (14th ORP Gaia Science Alerts Workshop 2023, Valletta, Malta)
  • July 2023 - Merc, J. Large-scale photometric surveys in the study of symbiotic stars. (European Astronomical Society Annual Meeting 2023, Kraków, Poland)
  • June 2023 - Mártonfi, P., Gális, R., Merc, J. Long-term evolution of colour indices of the symbiotic system AX Persei. (Bezovec 2023: Conference of young astronomers, Nová Lehota, Slovakia)
  • May 2023 - Merc, J., Beck, P. G., Mathur, S., Garcia, R. A. Analyzing the short-term variability of symbiotic stars with TESS. (IAC Severo Ochoa line monthly meeting, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain)
  • May 2023 - Merc, J. Symbiotic binaries in the era of Gaia and other surveys. (IAC Research Division Seminar, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain)
  • March 2023 - Merc, J. Symbiotic binaries in the era of Gaia and other surveys. (Seminar of the Institute of Astronomy of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland)

2022

  • October 2022 - Merc, J. Symbiotic binaries: A 100-year-old puzzle. (Seminar of the Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics, Brno, Czech Republic)
  • October 2022 - Merc, J., Nagy, Zs., Kóspál, A., et al. Gaia's first symbiotic nova and first extragalactic symbiotic star. (13th ORP Gaia Science Alerts Workshop 2022, Pula, Sardinia, Italy)
  • July 2022 - Merc, J. Symbiotic binaries: Results of the ongoing pro-am collaboration (Invited talk). (OHP 2022 Spectroscopy Meeting, Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire, France)
  • July 2022 - Merc, J. Symbiotic binaries: Ideal targets for amateur observers (Invited talk). (OHP 2022 Spectroscopy Meeting, Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire, France)
  • June 2022 - Merc, J. New Online Database of Symbiotic Variables as a tool for understanding the symbiotic population. (Meeting of students of astronomy and astrophysics from Czech and Slovak universities. Ostrava, Czech Republic)
  • May 2022 - Merc, J. Symbiotic binaries: Ideal targets for amateur observers (Invited talk). (VEGA 2022 International Spectroscopy Symposium. Haunsberg, Austria)

2021

  • November 2021 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Wolf, M. et al. Spectroscopic and photometric analysis of symbiotic candidates (53. konference o výzkumu proměnných hvězd a exoplanet. Prague, Czech Republic)
  • November 2021 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Wolf, M. Search for outbursting symbiotic stars using the Gaia Science Alerts (12th Gaia Science Alerts workshop and the First ORP Time-Domain meeting. Heraklion, Greece)
  • September 2021 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Wolf, M. et al. Spectroscopic and photometric analysis of symbiotic candidates: Lessons learned from the ongoing campaign (Bezovec 2021: Conference of young astronomers, Nová Lehota, Slovakia)
  • September 2021 - Merc, J., Mikołajewska, J., Gromadzki, M., Gałan, C., Iłkiewicz, K., et al. Gaia18aen: First symbiotic binary discovered by Gaia (Bezovec 2021: Conference of young astronomers, Nová Lehota, Slovakia)
  • September 2021 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Wolf, M. New Online Database of Symbiotic Variables as a tool for understanding the symbiotic population. (ChETEC MC+WG Main Meeting, Lisbon, Portugal)
  • September 2021 - Merc, J., Mikołajewska, J., Gromadzki, M., Gałan, C., Iłkiewicz, K., et al. Gaia18aen: First symbiotic binary discovered by Gaia (25th Conference of Slovak Physicists. Bratislava, Slovakia, held online)
  • May 2021 - Merc, J. Is it a symbiotic binary?! (Seminar of the Astronomical Institute of Charles University. Prague, Czech Republic, held online)
  • March 2021 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Wolf, M. Symbiotic binaries and where to find them. (AstroWorkshop FMFI UK, Bratislava, Slovakia, held online)
  • January 2021 - Merc, J., Mikołajewska, J., Gromadzki, M., Gałan, C., Iłkiewicz, K., et al. Gaia18aen: First symbiotic binary discovered by Gaia (11th OPTICON Gaia Science Alerts Workshop. Poland/United Kingdom, held online)

2020

  • December 2020 - Merc, J. Symbiotic binaries: The mystery of cool giants and hot dwarfs. (Seminar of Stellar Physic Department of AI ASCR. Ondřejov, Czech Republic, held online)
  • October 2020 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Vrašťák, M., Teyssier, F., Leedjärv, L., Wolf, M. Symbiotic binaries as ideal targets for amateur observers. (52. konference o výzkumu proměnných hvězd a exoplanet. Prague, Czech Republic, held online)
  • October 2020 - Merc, J. Symbiotic binaries: A story of giants and dwarfs. (Seminar of the Astronomical Institute of Charles University. Prague, Czech Republic, held online)
  • October 2020 - Merc, J., Gális, R. Symbiotic binaries at P. J. Šafárik University. (Bezovec 2020: Astronomical Research in Slovakia. Hlohovec, Slovakia, held online)
  • September 2020 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Wolf, M. Characterizing the symbiotic population using the Gaia data. (International Annual Meeting of the German Astronomical Society. Germany, held online)
  • September 2020 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Wolf, M. Spectroscopic analysis of selected symbiotic candidates. (Week of Doctoral Students 2020 focused on physical study branches. Prague, Czech Republic, held online)
  • September 2020 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Leedjärv, L. Symbiotic binaries in the scope of the ChETEC project. (ChETEC Period 4 Main Event. Split, Croatia, held online)
  • August 2020 - Kalup, Cs., Merc, J., Rathour, R. S., Sánches Arias, J. P., Beck, P. Asteroseismology of red giant KIC 5006817 (ERASMUS Summer School, GAIA & TESS: Tools for understanding of the Local Universe. Brno, Czech Republic, held online)

2019

  • September 2019 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Wolf, M. New Online Database of Symbiotic Variables. (Universe of Binaries, Binaries in the Universe, Telč, Czech Republic)
  • September 2019 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Leedjärv, L., Wolf, M. Yellow symbiotic star AG Draconis in the scope of the New Online Database of Symbiotic Variables. (The Golden Age of Cataclysmic Variables and Related Objects IV, Palermo, Italy)
  • June 2019 – Ferreiros, V., Merc, J., Csörnyei, G., Cabello, C., Pessev, P. Spectral Clasification of a Sample of Poorly Studied High Proper Motion M-dwarf Candidate Stars (ERASMUS/OPTICON Summer School, Observational Astrophysics: from proposals to publication, Stará Lesná, Slovakia)
  • June 2019 – Gális, R., Merc, J. The IAU100 activities in Slovakia. (European Week of Astronomy and Space Science 2019, Lyon, France)
  • June 2019 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Wolf, M. Symbiotic variables in the Local Group and beyond. (Week of Doctoral Students 2019 focused on physical study branches, Prague, Czech Republic)
  • June 2019 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Teyssier, F., Boyd, D., Leedjärv, L., Wolf, M. Spectroscopic study of (up to) four outbursts of the four symbiotic stars in the recent four years. (Conference about succeses of stellar astronomy "Bezovec 2019", Slovakia)
  • June 2019 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Wolf, M. New Online Database of Symbiotic Variables. (Conference about succeses of stellar astronomy "Bezovec 2019", Slovakia)
  • June 2019 - Gális, R.,, Merc, J., Bodnárová, R. Long-term variability of intermediate polars. (Conference about succeses of stellar astronomy "Bezovec 2019", Slovakia)
  • June 2019 - Gális, R.,, Merc, J. IAU: 100 years under one sky. (Conference about succeses of stellar astronomy "Bezovec 2019", Slovakia)
  • May 2019 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Wolf, M. New Online Database of Symbiotic Variables: Symbiotics in X-rays. (16th INTEGRAL/BART Workshop, Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic)
  • January 2019 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Wolf, M., Leedjärv, L. Symbiotic binaries, more than a century old puzzle. (Tříkrálová konference 2019: Setkání českých a slovenských fyziků, Prague, Czech Republic)

2018

  • December 2018 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Leedjärv, L. AG Draconis, a mystery older than the Republic. (Seminár Katedry teoretickej fyziky a astrofyziky PF UPJŠ, Košice, Slovakia)
  • December 2018 - Gális, R., Merc, J., Leedjärv, L., Vrašťák, M. The peculiar outburst activity of the symbiotic binary AG Draconis. (International meeting on variable stars research “Kolos 2018″, Slovakia)
  • December 2018 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Wolf, M., Leedjärv, L., Teyssier, F. The activity of the symbiotic binary Z Andromedae and its last outburst. (50. konference o výzkumu proměnných hvězd a exoplanet, Brno, Czech Republic)
  • December 2018 - Gális, R., Merc, J., Leedjärv, L., Vrašťák, M. The peculiar outburst activity of the symbiotic binary AG Draconis. (50. konference o výzkumu proměnných hvězd a exoplanet, Brno, Czech Republic)
  • November 2018 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Leedjärv, L. The activity of the symbiotic binaries AG Dra, AG Peg and Z And observed by amateur astronomers. (Astronoomia seminarid, Tartu Observatoorium, Tõravere, Estonia)
  • September 2018 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Teyssier, F. - Study of long-term spectroscopic variability of symbiotic stars based on observations of the ARAS Group. (Observing techniques, instrumentation and science for metre-class telescopes II, Stará Lesná, Slovakia)
  • September 2018 - Gális, R., Merc, J., Leedjärv, L., Vrašťák, M. - The current active stage of the symbiotic system AG Draconis. (Observing techniques, instrumentation and science for metre-class telescopes II, Stará Lesná, Slovakia)
  • June 2018 - Gális, R.,Merc, J., Vrašťák, M., Leedjärv, L. - The fourth outburst during the present activity of AG Draconis. (Conference about succeses of stellar astronomy "Bezovec 2018", Slovakia)

2017

  • October 2017 - Gális, R., Merc, J., Leedjärv, L. Súčasná aktivita symbiotickej dvojhviezdy AG Draconis. (Seminář Astronomického ústavu UK, Praha, Czech Republic)
  • September 2017 - Merc, J.,Gális, R., Leedjärv, L. Recent outburst activity of the symbiotic binary AG Draconis. (The Golden Age of Cataclysmic Variables and Related Objects IV, Palermo, Italy)
  • June 2017 - Merc, J., Gális, R. CorrLAB - Correlation and period analysis software. (Conference about successes of stellar astronomy “Bezovec 2017″, Slovakia)
  • June 2017 - Gális, R., Merc, J., Leedjärv, L. Recent outburst activity of AG Draconis - the story continues. (Conference about successes of stellar astronomy “Bezovec 2017″, Slovakia)
  • June 2017 - Leedjärv, L., Gális, R., Hric, L., Merc, J., et al. AG Draconis - a story of one active symbiotic star. (Conference about successes of stellar astronomy “Bezovec 2017″, Slovakia)
  • April 2017 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Leedjärv, L. Recent outburst activity of the supersoft X-ray binary AG Draconis. (14th INTEGRAL/BART Workshop, Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic)

2016

  • December 2016 - Gális, R., Merc, J., Leedjärv, L. Recent outburst activity of the symbiotic binary AG Draconis. (International meeting on variable stars research “Kolos 2016″, Slovakia)
  • November 2016 - Gális, R., Merc, J., Leedjärv, L. Súčasná aktivita symbiotickej dvojhviezdy AG Draconis. (48. konference o výzkumu proměnných hvězd a exoplanet, Praha, Czech Republic)
  • September 2016 - Gális, R., Merc J., Leedjärv, L. Spectroscopic view on the outburst activity of the symbiotic binary AG Draconis. (Astronoomia seminarid, Tartu Observatoorium, Tõravere, Estonia)
  • June 2016 - Gális, R., Hric, L., Leedjärv, L., Merc, J. Spektroskopický výskum aktivity symbiotického systému AG Draconis. (Conference about successes of stellar astronomy “Bezovec 2016″, Slovakia)

2015

  • November 2015 - Gális, R., Hric, L., Leedjärv, L., Merc, J. Spectroscopic view on the outburst activity of the symbiotic binary AG Draconis. (47. konference o výzkumu proměnných hvězd a exoplanet, Ostrava, Czech Republic)
  • December 2015 – Merc, J., Gális, R., Leedjärv, L. Correlation analysis of photometric and spectroscopic data of symbiotic systems AG Dra and Z And. (International meeting on variable star research “Kolos 2015″, Slovakia)
  • December 2015 – Gális, R., Hric, L., Leedjärv, L., Merc, J. Spectroscopic view on the outburst activity of the symbiotic binary AG Draconis. (International meeting on variable star research “Kolos 2015″, Slovakia)
  • June 2015 - Gális, R., Hric, L., Leedjärv, L., Merc, J. Outburst activity driven by evolved pulsating star in the symbiotic binary AG Draconis. (Physics of Evolved Stars 2015, Nice, France)
  • June 2015 – Merc, J., Gális, R., Leedjärv, L. Spectroscopic research of symbiotic binary star AG Dra. (Conference about successes of stellar astronomy “Bezovec 2015″, Slovakia)

Posters

2024

  • September 2024 - Mártonfi, P., Gális, R., Merc, J. Advanced analysis of the light curves of the symbiotic system AX Persei. (Binary and Multiple Stars in the Era of Big Sky Surveys, Litomyšl, Czech Republic)
  • July 2024 - Godoy-Rivera, D.,Mathur, S., Garía, R. A. et al. Kepler meets Gaia: Binary Systems, Color-Magnitude Diagram, and Kinematic Analysis. (8th TESS/15th Kepler Asteroseismic Science Consortium Workshop, Porto, Portugal)
  • July 2024 - Merc, J., Beck, P. G., Mathur, S., García, R. A. Accretion-induced variability of interacting red giant binaries masquerading as oscillations. (European Astronomical Society Annual Meeting 2024, Padova, Italy)
  • June 2024 - Merc, J. Symbiotic stars in Gaia DR3. (Symbiotic stars, weird novae, and related embarrassing binaries, Prague, Czech Republic)
  • June 2024 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Wolf, M. et al. Pro-am collaboration in the classification of symbiotic candidates from the New Online Database of Symbiotic Variables. (Symbiotic stars, weird novae, and related embarrassing binaries, Prague, Czech Republic)
  • June 2024 - Gális, R., Merc, J., Leedjärv, L. Active stages of the symbiotic system AG Draconis. (Symbiotic stars, weird novae, and related embarrassing binaries, Prague, Czech Republic)
  • June 2024 - Mártonfi, P., Gális, R., Merc, J. Emission lines in the spectra of the symbiotic system AX Persei. (Symbiotic stars, weird novae, and related embarrassing binaries, Prague, Czech Republic)

2023

  • September 2023 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Wolf, M., Mulato, L. Symbiotic stars in Gaia DR3. (The Milky Way Revealed by Gaia: The Next Frontier, Barcelona, Spain)
  • July 2023 - Merc, J., Beck, P. G., Mathur, S., Garcia, R. A. Accretion-induced variability of interacting red giant binaries masquerading as oscillations. (TESS/Kepler Asteroseismic Science Consortium Workshop, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, USA)
  • July 2023 - Beck, P. G.,, Grossmann, D. H., Steinwender, L., et al. Constraining advanced stellar evolution from ensemble asteroseismology of binaries. (TESS/Kepler Asteroseismic Science Consortium Workshop, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, USA)
  • July 2023 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Wolf, M., Mulato, L. Symbiotic stars in Gaia DR3. (European Astronomical Society Annual Meeting 2023, Kraków, Poland)
  • July 2023 - Gális, R., Merc, J., Leedjärv, L. Recent active and quiescent stages of the symbiotic star AG Draconis. (European Astronomical Society Annual Meeting 2023, Kraków, Poland)
  • July 2023 - Mártonfi, P., Gális, R., Merc, J. Colour indices and the new ephemeris of the symbiotic system AX Persei. (European Astronomical Society Annual Meeting 2023, Kraków, Poland)

2022

  • August 2022 – Kára, J., Zharikov, S., Wolf, M., et al. Light curve modelling and Doppler Tomography of AY Psc. (EUROWD22: 22nd European Workshop on White Dwarfs, Tübingen, Germany)
  • June 2022 - Merc, J., Gális, R., Wolf, M. Search for outbursting symbiotic stars using the Gaia Science Alerts. (European Astronomical Society Annual Meeting 2022, Valencia, Spain)

2021

  • June 2021 – Gális, R., Merc, J., Leedjärv, L. Active and quiescent stages of the symbiotic system AG Draconis. (European Astronomical Society Annual Meeting 2021, Leiden, Netherlands, held online)
  • June 2021 - Merc, J., Mikołajewska, J., Gromadzki, M., Gałan, C., Iłkiewicz, K., et al. Gaia18aen: First symbiotic binary discovered by Gaia (European Astronomical Society Annual Meeting 2021, Leiden, Netherlands, held online)
  • March 2021 – Merc, J., Gális, R., Wolf, M. Characterising cool giants in symbiotic binaries using the Gaia EDR3 data. (The 20.5th Cambridge Workshop on Cool Stars, Stellar Systems, and the Sun, held online)

2020

  • September 2020 – Merc, J., Gális, R., Wolf, M. New Online Database of Symbiotic Variables. (Royal Astronomical Society Early Career Poster Exhibition. United Kingdom, held online)
  • June 2020 – Merc, J., Gális, R., Teyssier, F. A need for long-term spectroscopic data in the investigation of symbiotic binaries. (European Astronomical Society Annual Meeting 2020, Leiden, Netherlands, held online)
  • June 2020 – Merc, J., Gális, R., Wolf, M. Characterizing the symbiotic population using the Gaia data. (European Astronomical Society Annual Meeting 2020, Leiden, Netherlands, held online)
  • June 2020 – Gális, R., Merc, J., Leedjärv, L. Clumpy environment around accreting compact objects in symbiotic systems. (European Astronomical Society Annual Meeting 2020, Leiden, Netherlands, held online)

2019

  • June 2019 – Gális, R., Merc, J., Leedjärv, L. Accretion-related winds in the symbiotic stars with Z And-type outburst activity. (European Week of Astronomy and Space Science 2019, Lyon, France)