Jobs:Job-00008

2.5 yr post-doc position on the Tibetan Plateau

University Utrecht, , Netherlands
Apply before: 30 November 2019

Posting: Position: Post-Doctoral Position Apply before: 30 November 2019 Apply online: https://www.peoplexs.com/Peoplexs22/CandidatesPortalNoLogin/Vacancy.cfm?PortalID=4063&VacatureID=1067537

The Faculty of Geosciences is looking for a Postdoctoral researcher "Changing lakes on the Tibetan plateau". The Tibetan Plateau (TP) plays an essential role in the water supply to Asia’s large river systems and, as the largest and highest mountain plateau in the world, it drives the Asian monsoon and influences global circulation patterns significantly. Climate change is hitting the TP harder than elsewhere, which will affect the water cycle and may have an impact on millions of people living downstream. The TP contains many large lakes unconnected to the river system, which have undergone extreme water volume changes in recent decades. Therefore, these so-called endorheic lakes can be seen as a gauge of global warming because the strong trends in lake volume can only be explained by climate induced changes in their closed drainage basins.

In this research the goal is to disentangle the main drivers of change in the lake water cycle. More specifically, we aim to reveal whether lake volume changes are attributable to precipitation and evaporation change, increased glacial melt or permafrost degradation. To this end, you will use new remote sensing datasets together with modelling (machine learning and process based) and field measurements. The novelty of the project lies in the smart integration of these techniques. Unravelling the drivers of climate-induced changes will have large applicability in high-mountain and cold regions across the globe.

In this project there is an exciting opportunity to work on different spatial scales. At the small-scale focus you will concentrate on the Paiku Co lake and the objective is to reconstruct the water balance of this catchment in great detail based on field observations and detailed modelling of hydrology. A field expedition is also part of the project. At a larger scale you will be working on permafrost and glacio-hydrological modelling in combination with remote sensing to understand lake changes for the entire plateau. The project is conducted in partnership with the Institute for Tibetan Plateau Research, and international experts on permafrost modelling and glacier change.

For more information see: https://www.peoplexs.com/Peoplexs22/CandidatesPortalNoLogin/Vacancy.cfm?PortalID=4063&VacatureID=1067537

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Of interest for:

Hydrology Focus Research Group