RISO : PhD student in meso-scale modeling

PhD student in meso-scale modeling with focus on the atmospheric water vapor profile

Applicants are invited for a PhD student position in the Meteorology Program of the Wind Energy Division at Risø DTU. The Meteorology Program is aimed at basic research in the fields of boundary layer meteorology, assessment of wind resources for power generation and of wind loads on turbines and various other structures.

The project
The Ph.D. student will be employed in a research project concerning the hydrological cycle and surface energy balance and their dependence on land use and climate. He/she will work with a version of the Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting model (ARW-WRF), which will include a detailed treatment of the effects of vegetation on the boundary layer. Similar versions of the model are commonly used in the Meteorology program for various wind-resource activities. Model results will be validated against water-vapor profiles from satellite and radiosonde data as well as boundary-layer wind speed data from remote sensing platforms. The study area is the island of Sjælland, Denmark. The WRF modeling results will be important for understanding how the complex land-cover of a real landscape affects the structure of the atmospheric boundary layer. The study should quantify feed-back effects from the atmosphere to the land surface on annual basis and during extreme dry/wet conditions. Furthermore the study will involve evaluation of how land use changes will affect different aspects of the hydrological cycle and the boundary layer structure.

Qualifications
Candidates should hold a master degree in meteorology/physics/ engineering/hydrology or similar educational level, and are expected to have theoretical background in boundary layer meteorology. Knowledge on meso-scale modeling and data analysis of atmospheric observations and satellite Earth observations are an advantage. We favor an open-minded and result-oriented person.

Terms of employment
The PhD position is limited to three years. The PhD study is embedded in a research project with the title “Implementing Earth observations, advanced satellite based atmospheric sounders and distributed temperature sensing for effective land surface representation in water resource modeling” (see project info at http://upscalehydrology.ruc.dk).
Main supervisor is Senior Scientist Ebba Dellwik (Risø DTU) and co-supervisors are Senior Scientists Andrea Hahmann and Charlotte Hasager (also Risø DTU).

Terms of employment will be in accordance with those of the scientific staff of universities. Matriculation as a PhD student will be in accordance with Ministerial Order no. 18 of 14 January 2008 on the PhD program at Universities. Employment will start as soon as possible and latest by September 1st 2009.

Further information
If you need further information concerning this position, please contact Ebba Dellwik by email (ebde@risoe.dtu.dk) or phone (+ 45 4677 5032).

Application
We must have your online application by 30 April 2009. Please open the link "apply for this job online" and fill in the application form and attach your application and CV and other relevant documentation. Applications must include documentation of a completed master's degree.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.




Apply for this job online