PhD position
Mathematics and Physics Department - Roma Tre University
The PhD research activity will be developed within the new laboratory devoted to the project ERC AdG SWIM - Surfing Radio Waves to detect liquid water in the Solar System.
Homepage: https://matematicafisica.uniroma3.it/
Planetary and Solar System Sciences (PS)
In the framework of the ERC AdG SWIM we are looking for a candidates for a PhD position in the department of Mathematics and Physics – University Roma Tre. Call for this position is open and will be closed July 14th 2026.
Position 1 - Assessing the dielectric properties of Ganymede dark terrains through laboratory measurements
Nearly half of the surface of Ganymede (and possibly small areas of Europa) is dark in color and very heavily cratered, suggesting that it should contain a significant amount of primordial material, like carbonaceous chondrite grains and dust admixed with water ice. In the first part of the PhD project, the dielectric behavior of a suite of meteorite samples suitable to represent Ganymede’s dark materials, as a function of temperature in the frequency range 1 – 100 MHz, will be measured. Then, meteoritic grains will be admixed with chemically contaminated ice having the composition of Ganymede’s ice shell to experimentally characterize the dielectric properties of the overall icy materials. The final goal of the project is to assess the effect of such inclusions on the propagation of the radar signals and on the identification of various buried targets.
Ideal candidate: Master degree in physics or geology with a strong background in geophysics/experimental physics.
For more information contact: elena.pettinelli@uniroma3.it
Find detals for the application at:
Link to the call: https://matematicafisica.uniroma3.it/ricerca/dottorato-di-ricerca/dottorato-di-ricerca-in-matematica/ammissione/