Delft University of Technology

Sea ice is an extensive layer of frozen ocean that plays a crucial role in our climate system. In the last few decades, the global extent of the sea ice pack has diminished drastically due to warming at the poles. Current climate models cannot capture this sea ice decline appropriately, notably due to lack of understanding of ocean / sea ice interactions at fine scales. By improving the accuracy in the modeling of the polar oceans, your work will help our ability to predict the trajectory of the climate in the coming decades.

In this project, you will use a model of ocean turbulence coupled with a discrete element model of sea ice to explore how their interactions impact the breakage, melt, freezing and thickening of the sea ice pack. You will test how future warming will affect these processes and quantify the impact of sea ice changes on the wider climate system. You will also have the chance to leverage the departmental expertise on remote sensing to produce comparisons between models and observations.

Your work will connect with the CliMA initiative at Caltech, MIT and NASA JPL, and the multi-university ONR initiative on sea ice, which both aim to sharpen our understanding of the climate using more efficient and accurate models. Throughout the project, you will have the opportunity to interact with these international research teams for scientific and technical exchanges. You will also benefit from cutting-edge software designed to be fast (GPU-accelerated), user-friendly and modular, which will allow you to make a strong scientific impact.

We value your development as an independent thinker and therefore welcome your own ideas in shaping the research direction based on your specific interests. We also care that you develop skills and a network that will be important for your career beyond the Ph.D. program. In our faculty, you will interact with students and staff working on all aspects of the climate, including atmosphere, oceans and the cryosphere, from both modeling and observational perspectives.

Requirements

- Master’s degree in Earth sciences, physics, applied mathematics, engineering, computer science or related discipline.
- Strong skills in fluid mechanics, solid mechanics and numerical modelling.
- Experience working with Matlab, Python or Julia.
- A demonstrable interest in climate physics.
- Good organizational skills and ability to work independently.
- Good command of written and spoken English.
- Experience with peer-reviewed scientific publishing will be appreciated.

Application procedure

Please apply no later than 13 May 2024 via this application link and upload the following documents:

- Curriculum vitae.
- Motivation letter detailing: (1) your interest in climate physics and (2) your experience in conducting research.
- Transcripts from your BSc and MSc degrees.
- Contact details for two referees.
- If available, a copy of your MSc thesis will be appreciated.

More information about the conditions of employment can be found here. You may contact me at Mukund.Gupta@tudelft.nl for more information about the opportunity.