PhD Position (f/m/x) – Remote Sensing of Biodiversity Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft Deutscher Forschungszentren

https://recruitingapp-5128.de.umantis.com/Vacancies/2019/Description/2

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 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 (m/f/x) for the PhD project "Remote Sensing of Biodiversity".

PhD Position (f/m/x) – Remote Sensing of Biodiversity

Working time: 65% (25.35 hours per week), limited to 3 years

Your tasks:

The ability of remote sensing technologies to estimate the biodiversity of ecosystems is frequently discussed. One approach is the exploitation of the spectral variation in remotely sensed images towards an assessment of species and trait diversity. These attempts are, however, correlative and the actual drivers of the spectral variation are still unexplored.

This PhD project aims to combine in-situ trait measurements in temperate ecosystems, radiative transfer modelling as well as multi- and hyperspectral image analysis to address the following questions:

Which leaf and canopy biophysical properties are the drivers of spectral variation in a remotely-sensed image data set?

How stable and reliable are remotely sensed biodiversity indicators in space, time and across sensor systems?

Can we use Earth observation data to assess the diversity of grass- and farmlands across Germany?

Your profile:

MSc degree in ecology, biology, (bio)geography, environmental science, remote sensing, statistics, computer sciences, or a related field

Interest in biodiversity research and EO data analysis

Good programming skills (preferably R, but likewise Python or Matlab

Experience in field vegetation sampling, trait measurements, statistical analysis, spectroscopy and EO data processing are advantageous

Good communication skills in English, and strong interest to work in an interdisciplinary research team

Willingness to publish results in peer-reviewed journals and present at conference

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

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Model GIS object attribute entity

These concepts explain different ways of organizing, storing, and representing geographic information in a Geographic Information System (GIS) . They include database design models (ER model), data structure models (Object and Attribute models), and spatio-temporal representations that integrate location, entities, and time . Together, they help GIS manage both spatial data (where things are) and descriptive information (what they are and how they change over time) . 1. Object-Based Model (Object-Oriented Data Model) The Object-Based Model treats geographic features as independent objects that combine spatial geometry and descriptive attributes within a single structure. Core Concept: Each geographic feature (such as a building, road, or river ) is represented as a self-contained object that stores both: Geometry – location and shape (point, line, polygon) Attributes – descriptive properties (name, type, length, capacity) Unlike older georelational models , which stored spatial ...

Types of Remote Sensing

Remote Sensing means collecting information about the Earth's surface without touching it , usually using satellites, aircraft, or drones . There are different types of remote sensing based on the energy source and the wavelength region used. 🛰️ 1. Active Remote Sensing 📘 Concept: In active remote sensing , the sensor sends out its own energy (like a signal or pulse) to the Earth's surface. The sensor then records the reflected or backscattered energy that comes back from the surface. ⚙️ Key Terminology: Transmitter: sends energy (like a radar pulse or laser beam). Receiver: detects the energy that bounces back. Backscatter: energy that is reflected back to the sensor. 📊 Examples of Active Sensors: RADAR (Radio Detection and Ranging): Uses microwave signals to detect surface roughness, soil moisture, or ocean waves. LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging): Uses laser light (near-infrared) to measure elevation, vegetation...

Atmospheric Window

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geostationary and sun-synchronous

Orbital characteristics of Remote sensing satellite geostationary and sun-synchronous Orbits in Remote Sensing Orbit = the path a satellite follows around the Earth. The orbit determines what part of Earth the satellite can see , how often it revisits , and what applications it is good for . Remote sensing satellites mainly use two standard orbits : Geostationary Orbit (GEO) Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) Geostationary Satellites (GEO) Characteristics Altitude : ~35,786 km above the equator. Period : 24 hours → same as Earth's rotation. Orbit type : Circular, directly above the equator . Appears "stationary" over one fixed point on Earth. Concepts & Terminologies Geosynchronous = orbit period matches Earth's rotation (24h). Geostationary = special type of geosynchronous orbit directly above equator → looks fixed. Continuous coverage : Can monitor the same area all the time. Applications Weather...

Vineesh V, Geography

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