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| PhD position in Exoplanet modeling at the Bordeaux Observatory: 3D simulations of giant exoplanet atmospheres | Closing date: 2017-06-27
Contact: Jeremy Leconte |
| The ERC funded WHIPLASH project is offering one PhD position (3 years) at the University of Bordeaux (France) to work on the 3D modeling of exoplanetary atmospheres. The position is expected to start on September 1st 2017. Applications should be submitted as soon as possible. | | ▸ more | The last two decades have been the theatre of a genuine scientific revolution: extrasolar planets are now found by the thousands. At the same time, the information that we have for each individual planet is relatively limited: orbital characteristics, radius and/or mass. To understand the formation and evolution of these worlds, it is now time to characterize their composition, and the one of their atmosphere.
To that end, several instruments have been or are being developed. These instruments can acquire detailed spectra of the atmosphere of exoplanets, but the new-generation tools needed to analyse and interpret these spectra are still lacking. In particular, few studies have looked at the impact of the tridimensional structure of the atmosphere on the observations. Realistic tridimensional modeling of clouds and their spectral signature is also missing.
To develop these aspects, the ECLIPSE team at the Laboratoire d?Astrophysique de Bordeaux possesses several assets. On one hand, the team is involved in several observational projects aiming at the detection (Kepler/K2, Trappist, Spirou) and atmospheric characterization (James Webb Space Telescope, ARIEL) of exoplanets. On the other hand, we are developing theoretical models to simulate these exo-atmospheres in 3 dimensions, their chemical composition, their dynamical structure, and their climate. The goal of this PhD project is to bring these numerical models to the next level?in particular by extending the global climate model that was developed for terrestrial planets to hot giant gaseous planets that are more easily observed. Depending on his/her skills and affinity, the PhD candidate will be able to work on various aspects of atmospheric modeling: radiative transfer, 3D dynamics, formation and dynamics of clouds and hazes, non-equilibrium chemistry.
The project will be supervised by Jérémy Leconte as part of his ERC project (Whiplash, ID 679030). Jérémy Leconte is also expert in the atmospheric modeling of exoplanets and a member of the scientific team of the ARIEL mission at the European Space Agency. The PhD project will co-supervised by Franck Selsis, expert in the study of the physico-chemical modeling of planetary atmospheres, and will benefit from the expertise and support of the ECLIPSE team(*) and its international collaborations.
The successful candidate will be hosted by the LAB, newly relocated on the campus of the University of Bordeaux, in the beautiful city of Bordeaux, in southern France. The institute provides a dynamic and diverse environment for professional development, and a stimulating work environment.
Funding (stipend and travel grant) is fully secured for the 3 years of the PhD through the ERC. Benefits include complete health insurance coverage and social security, as required by French law.
Requirements: Aspiring candidates must hold a degree equivalent to a European Master (5 years of Higher Education) in either physics, astrophysics, or related fields. Applicants should send a curriculum vitae, a cover letter describing the applicant's background and motivation and a brief description of past research and future plans, and the address of three potential contacts that can be asked for reference letters. Send all applications and information requests to jeremy.leconte @ u-bordeaux.fr. The position is expected to start on September 1st 2017. Applications should be submitted as soon as possible.
This ad can be found at: http://astrophy.u-bordeaux.fr
(*) http://astrophy.u-bordeaux.fr/eclipse-exoplanets-climates-and-planetary-systems-evolution/
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