Postdoctoral Fellow in Severe Convection and Large-Scale Dynamics
Department of Meteorology, Stockholm University
The Department of Meteorology at Stockholm University (MISU) conducts research and education spanning the atmosphere, ocean and physical climate sciences. We offer educational programmes at the Bachelors, Masters and PhD levels. Our research addresses fundamental questions concerning the dynamics, physics, chemistry and biogeochemistry of the atmosphere and ocean relevant for weather and climate. We study questions originating from the deep ocean to the upper atmosphere and from the tropics to the poles. In this effort, we use and develop theory, statistical methods, and numerical models in close interplay with observations. We also develop and lead observational research using satellite and surface-based measurements, including icebreaker expeditions to the Arctic.
MISU is embedded in a larger research environment including the Bolin Centre for Climate Research, the Baltic Sea Centre , and the Swedish e-Science Research Centre. The department is highly international, with over half our employees coming from outside Sweden.
Homepage: https://www.su.se/misu
Climate: Past, Present & Future (CL)
Project description
This research project investigates two-way interactions between severe convection and the large-scale atmospheric circulation. While synoptic-scale flow patterns create the environments that support widespread severe convection, growing evidence suggests that latent heating associated with organized convection can in turn modify the upper-level flow, influencing downstream jet stream evolution and Rossby wave dynamics. These feedbacks may contribute to the development and persistence of high-impact weather, including blocking events and heatwaves.
Using targeted numerical experiments with the ICON model, the successful candidate will isolate the causal pathways linking convection and the large-scale circulation and quantify the strength of these interactions. The project will further assess the implications of convective-scale feedbacks for global climate simulations as well as medium-range and subseasonal weather predictability.
The project combines convection-permitting and large-scale numerical modeling, dynamical diagnostics, Lagrangian analysis, and statistical attribution to investigate multiscale interactions in the atmosphere. The simulations will be conducted on HPC infrastructure. Postprocessing and analysis of model data is largely based in python.
Main responsibilities
The successful candidate is expected to conduct numerical simulations, using the ICON modeling system, process and analyze large atmospheric datasets on high-performance computing (HPC) systems, and develop and implement analysis workflows for model output.
It is expected to publish results in peer-reviewed scientific journals and present findings at international conferences and workshops. The candidate is also expected to supervise and advise MSc and BSc student projects.