Student Opportunity Announcements
Funded PhD: Eddy Covariance Air-Sea Fluxes of Greenhouse Gases
PhD Opportunity: Development of a Fast Gas Analyser for Eddy Correlation Measurements of Air-Sea Greenhouse Gas Fluxes
Accurate measurements of the atmosphere-ocean fluxes of trace gases are important to an improved understanding of the cycling of climatically relevant gases.
The direct eddy correlation (EC) method, which is considered to be the benchmark for accurate determination of air-sea fluxes of trace gases,
relies on high-frequency measurements of the fluctuations of vertical wind velocity and gas concentration, and requires fast response
sensors in combination with high sensitivity.
These twin requirements have precluded oceanographic use of the EC technique for many species of interest, and direct measurements have been limited mainly to carbon dioxide at relatively high flux levels.
The main objective of this proposal is to develop a fast, highly sensitive, gas concentration sensor, and to integrate it with a sonic anemometer, motion sensing, and data acquisition into an EC flux package suitable for operation from buoys and other platforms, such as ships. Our gas sensor is based on infrared (IR) absorption, but utilizes a novel, highly sensitive, photoacoustic detector. We expect that this combination will result in an improvement in sensitivity of several orders of magnitude over the IR absorption sensors that are currently in oceanographic use. The PhD candiate will be involved in the development of the gas detector, and subsequent analyses of
laboratory and field data.
Candidates should have a degree in physics, engineering, or a closely-related discipline, and a strong motivation for research.
Applications (curriculum vitae, academic degree, references) should be sent by e-mail to Dr. Brian Ward (bward@nuigalway.ie), National
University of Ireland, Galway, Air-Sea Physics Lab, University Road, Galway, Ireland.
This project is funded by Science Foundation Ireland under the US-Ireland Partnership Programme with partners at the Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution and Queens University Belfast. A fixed stipend of 18,000 euro per year is available. Tuition fees will be
covered by the project. It is anticipated that the PhD candiate will commence in September 2010.