Postdoctoral Fellow in Mars Data Assimilation

The National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC) at the United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain, UAE, invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow in Mars Data Assimilation. The anticipated start date is the beginning of 2022, for an initial period of two years. Review of applications will begin on 1 October 2021. 

The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) arrived at Mars in February 2021. Its unique orbit and viewing geometry make it an ideal platform to use data assimilation to combine observations with Mars General Circulation Model (GCM) simulations. The purpose of this position is to expand an existing data assimilation scheme to also assimilate aerosol and trace gas data (dust, water ice, water vapour, and ozone) from EMM’s instruments, primarily data from the thermal infrared Emirates Mars Infrared Spectrometer, but also from the visible/UV Emirates eXploration Imager. The aim is to assimilate as many datasets from EMM’s instruments simultaneously, to produce complete climate states that incorporate all of EMM’s lower atmosphere observations.

The postdoc will have some freedom to develop this research as they like, within the bounds of what has been done already. They will be expected to use the obtained data products to perform independent research on open science questions related to Mars’ atmosphere. NSSTC will also require the successful candidate to devote some of their time to its operational Earth Observation objectives, based on personal experience and expertise. 

The assimilation scheme is based on the LETKF and uses the LMD Mars GCM, with previous work using observations from ExoMars-TGO-ACS and NASA-MRO-MCS. An ideal candidate will already have experience with some or all of these instruments and methods.