PhD position in the area of air-sea fluxes
We are looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate to investigate the interactions between wind, waves, and sea-surface monolayers. Understanding energy and scalar fluxes across the air-sea interface is crucial for a number of environmental challenges, including weather, climate and sea state forecasting. The Air-Sea Fluxes group at the Institute of Coastal Ocean Dynamics conducts laboratory- and field-based research, by developing and deploying unique, novel high-resolution imaging systems to investigate submillimeter-scale turbulent dynamics in multiphase environments such as the ocean surface.
The project is part of the research group “Biogeochemical processes and Air-sea exchange in the Sea-Surface microlayer (BASS)” funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). The overall goal is to investigate the importance of the sea-surface microlayer (SML) as a biogeo- and photochemical reactor, and how its reactivity affects ocean-atmosphere interactions. Eight subprojects will collaborate in joint field campaigns in the open North Sea, in a joint mesocosm study at the Sea-Surface Facility of the University of Oldenburg, and in joint experiments at University of Hamburg’s Wind-Wave Facility. BASS will combine interdisciplinary expertise, advanced technologies for millimeter-scale observations, core infrastructures for controlled experiments, and state-of-the-art analytical facilities at the molecular levels.
The candidate will develop and use novel imaging techniques at University of Hamburg’s large wind-wave facility, to quantify, understand and parametrize wind-wave-surfactant interactions, and their effect on air-water fluxes of momentum and scalars.
Your tasks:
- designing, planning and performing laboratory (wind-wave facility) experiments, using state-of-the-art imaging techniques
- developing computational codes to process and understand large experimental datasets (e.g., image processing)
- analyzing experimental results; developing conceptual models and parameterizations
- scientific publication and presentation
- working as an integral part of a motivated multidisciplinary team within the institute and with external academic partners
Essential qualifications:
- a MSc degree in oceanography, fluid mechanics, geosciences, physics, mechanical engineering or related disciplines
- programming skills in one or more languages (Matlab, Python, R, C, Fortran)
- excellent knowledge of English (written and spoken)
- high degree of motivation, creativity, and flexibility
- ability and willingness to participate in sea-going research
Desirable qualifications:
- experience in processing and interpretation of observational data
- practical fluid mechanics experience in the lab or in the field
- international research experience
- academic publication record
- willingness to learn German