Skip to main content

PhD position (f/m/x) – Remote Sensing of land-atmosphere coupling and hydro-climatic extremes Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung - UFZ






PhD position (f/m/x) – Remote Sensing of land-atmosphere coupling and hydro-climatic extremes Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung - UFZ


The Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) with its 1,100 employees has gained an excellent reputation as an international competence centre for environmental sciences. We are part of the largest scientific organisation in Germany, the Helmholtz association. Our mission: Our research seeks to find a balance between social development and the long-term protection of our natural resources.
The newly established Department of Remote Sensing in UFZ in tandem with the Remote Sensing Centre for Earth System Research (RSC4Earth) - a joint initiative of UFZ and the Faculty of Physics and Earth Sciences at Leipzig University - conducts innovative research to advance the understanding of the Earth system via the integration of various remote sensing, data science, and process-oriented modelling techniques. It has extensive research experience in quantifying land surface dynamics from multi-source Earth observations across scales.

Within the PhD framework "MoDEV - Towards novel model-data fusion for understanding environmental variability in space and time from high-resolution remote sensing" we are seeking to appoint a highly motivated candidate for the PhD project "Remote Sensing of soil moisture dynamics".
PhD position (f/m/x) – Remote Sensing of land-atmosphere coupling and hydro-climatic extremes
Working time: 65% (25.35 hours per week), limited to 3 years
Your tasks:
The PhD project aims to systematically investigate the role of land-atmosphere feedback (essential variables) on the occurrence of extreme events (e.g., drought, heat wave) and their interactions with different ecosystems based on satellite observations, field data, and model simulations. Key research questions include:
How do the land-atmosphere feedbacks change during and in the wake of climate extremes over different ecosystems? Will these feedbacks intensity extreme events in addition to large-scale atmospheric circulations (e.g., ENSO, MJO)?
How will ecosystems alter hydrological processes during and after extreme events (e.g., soil moisture, evapotranspiration, vapor pressure deficit)?
How will evapotranspiration respond to soil and atmospheric stress during and after extreme events?
Your profile:
Master degree (or equivalent) in earth system science, remote sensing, meteorology, hydrology, physical geography, environmental sciences, physics, statistics, computer sciences, or a related field
Good programming skills (e.g., Python, Fortran, R, or Matlab)
Experience in terrestrial and atmosphere EO data processing and analysis
Interest in understanding of land-atmosphere feedbacks and their role in climate extremes
Willing to publish results in peer-reviewed journals and present at scientific meetings
Good communication skills in English, and strong interest to work in an interdisciplinary research team
We offer:
Excellent technical facilities which are without parallel
The freedom you need to bridge the difficult gap between basic research and close to being ready for application
Work in interdisciplinary, multinational teams
Excellent links with national and international research networks
Excellent support and optimal subject-specific and general training with our HIGRADE graduate school
Remuneration in accordance with the TVöD public-sector pay grade 13 (65%)





Vineesh V
Assistant Professor of Geography,
Directorate of Education,
Government of Kerala.
https://www.facebook.com/Applied.Geography
http://geogisgeo.blogspot.com

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Atmospheric Window

The atmospheric window in remote sensing refers to specific wavelength ranges within the electromagnetic spectrum that can pass through the Earth's atmosphere relatively unimpeded. These windows are crucial for remote sensing applications because they allow us to observe the Earth's surface and atmosphere without significant interference from the atmosphere's constituents. Key facts and concepts about atmospheric windows: Visible and Near-Infrared (VNIR) window: This window encompasses wavelengths from approximately 0. 4 to 1. 0 micrometers. It is ideal for observing vegetation, water bodies, and land cover types. Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) window: This window covers wavelengths from approximately 1. 0 to 3. 0 micrometers. It is particularly useful for detecting minerals, water content, and vegetation health. Mid-Infrared (MIR) window: This window spans wavelengths from approximately 3. 0 to 8. 0 micrometers. It is valuable for identifying various materials, incl...

Platforms in Remote Sensing

In remote sensing, a platform is the physical structure or vehicle that carries a sensor (camera, scanner, radar, etc.) to observe and collect information about the Earth's surface. Platforms are classified mainly by their altitude and mobility : Ground-Based Platforms Definition : Sensors mounted on the Earth's surface or very close to it. Examples : Tripods, towers, ground vehicles, handheld instruments. Applications : Calibration and validation of satellite data Detailed local studies (e.g., soil properties, vegetation health, air quality) Strength : High spatial detail but limited coverage. Airborne Platforms Definition : Sensors carried by aircraft, balloons, or drones (UAVs). Altitude : A few hundred meters to ~20 km. Examples : Airplanes with multispectral scanners UAVs with high-resolution cameras or LiDAR High-altitude balloons (stratospheric platforms) Applications : Local-to-regional mapping ...

History of GIS

1. 1832 - Early Spatial Analysis in Epidemiology:    - Charles Picquet creates a map in Paris detailing cholera deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.    - Utilizes halftone color gradients for visual representation. 2. 1854 - John Snow's Cholera Outbreak Analysis:    - Epidemiologist John Snow identifies cholera outbreak source in London using spatial analysis.    - Maps casualties' residences and nearby water sources to pinpoint the outbreak's origin. 3. Early 20th Century - Photozincography and Layered Mapping:    - Photozincography development allows maps to be split into layers for vegetation, water, etc.    - Introduction of layers, later a key feature in GIS, for separate printing plates. 4. Mid-20th Century - Computer Facilitation of Cartography:    - Waldo Tobler's 1959 publication details using computers for cartography.    - Computer hardware development, driven by nuclear weapon research, leads to broader mapping applications by early 1960s. 5. 1960 - Canada Geograph...

Scattering

Scattering 

History of GIS

The history of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is rooted in early efforts to understand spatial relationships and patterns, long before the advent of digital computers. While modern GIS emerged in the mid-20th century with advances in computing, its conceptual foundations lie in cartography, spatial analysis, and thematic mapping. Early Roots of Spatial Analysis (Pre-1960s) One of the earliest documented applications of spatial analysis dates back to  1832 , when  Charles Picquet , a French geographer and cartographer, produced a cholera mortality map of Paris. In his report  Rapport sur la marche et les effets du choléra dans Paris et le département de la Seine , Picquet used graduated color shading to represent cholera deaths per 1,000 inhabitants across 48 districts. This work is widely regarded as an early example of choropleth mapping and thematic cartography applied to epidemiology. A landmark moment in the history of spatial analysis occurred in  1854 , when  John Snow  inv...