[ES_JOBS_NET] Postdoc position on observing the statistics of submesoscale processes in Fram Strait at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Bremerhaven, Germany

[Wilken-Jon von Appen]

I am advertising a 2.5 year postdoc position at the Alfred Wegener
Institute that will analyze novel high resolution mooring observations:
https://jobs.awi.de/Vacancies/2027/Description/2 Application deadline:
August 5th
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions!
Best,
Wilken-Jon von Appen


Background
Warm Atlantic Water flows northward in the eastern Nordic Seas toward the
Arctic Ocean. Along this pathway atmospheric cooling leads to water mass
transformation. The Atlantic Water then leaves the surface in Fram Strait
between Greenland and Svalbard in a region where the horizontal density
gradient at the surface is large. The properties that are set in Fram
Strait affect both the mid-depth interior Arctic Ocean and the overflow
water forming North Atlantic Deep Water. We have deployed three moorings in
a triangle in Fram Strait to resolve submesoscale gradients in this last
region of water mass transformation of the Atlantic Water.
Here we advertise a Postdoc position at AWI that will analyze this unique
mooring data set. A particular focus will be on quantifying the temporal
variability from hours to seasons of submesoscale gradients in the surface
mixed layer in Fram Strait. Dynamical analyses will reveal the processes
participating in the transformation of Atlantic Water. You may participate
in shipboard work in Denmark Strait and Fram Strait in 2026 (mooring
deployment and recovery). Historical data from those areas may also be
analyzed to better quantify the background conditions in which the novel
submesoscale resolving observations are embedded. You'll be part of the
DFG-AEI collaborative project MIXSED; more details on the position can be
found here http://www.mixsed.uni-hamburg.de/news.html.

Your Tasks
Performing research to achieve the goals of the MIXSED project
Participation in research cruise(s) and data acquisition at sea
Processing, documenting, and analysing oceanographic data
Collaborating with project partners to interpret physical oceanographic
data, especially a Postdoc at the University of Hamburg who will perform
similar analyses using data from the bottom mixed layer near Denmark Strait
Leading the publication and presentation of the research results

Your Profile
PhD in physical oceanography, climate physics, or a related discipline
Strong background in physics, especially (geophysical) fluid dynamics
Strong programming skills in e.g. Matlab or Python
Experience with (ship-based) field work and analysis of simulated or
sensor-derived data is an asset
Very good spoken and written English (approximately equivalent to CEFR
level C1)

We offer
Access to state-of-the-art observational data sets in the polar regions
which combine process-oriented observations with long-term observations
maintained since 1997
Supervision during the analysis of the data and the publication and
dissemination of the results
At-sea supervision in how such observational campaigns to the polar regions
are implemented with the aim for the Postdoc to be group leader in at least
one polar expedition
A large network of collaborators both within AWI and across the MIXSED
project
Support in career development


More details:
One of the source regions of North Atlantic Deep Water is the Nordic Seas.
Water flows northward in the Norwegian Atlantic Slope and Front Currents
and gets cooled and densified by strong atmospheric heat loss. This water
then leaves the surface in Fram Strait between Greenland and Svalbard in a
region where the horizontal density gradient at the surface is large. The
water then flows southward and eventually crosses the Denmark Strait upon
which it descends along the seafloor as a gravity plume. Along this pathway
the water is subject to water mass transformation associated with
submesoscale instabilities: In Fram Strait those submesoscale instabilities
take place in the surface mixed layer and south of Denmark Strait those
submesoscale instabilities take place in the bottom mixed layer, where the
strong flow also affects sedimentation. A collaborative project funded by
the German Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and the Spanish Agencia
Estatal de Investigación (AEI) called Mixsed (“Mixing and Sediment
Dynamics”) aims to understand this water mass transformation. The Alfred
Wegener Institute (AWI) (PI Wilken-Jon von Appen) has deployed a mooring
array resolving submesoscale gradients in the surface mixed layer in the
eastern Fram Strait in summer 2024 which will be recovered in summer 2026.
The University of Hamburg (PI Eleanor Frajka-Williams) will deploy a
mooring array resolving submesoscale gradients in the bottom mixed layer
south of Denmark Strait for spring to fall 2026. Further shipboard
activities in Denmark Strait will target associated sediment dynamics (PIs
David Amblas, Anna Sànchez Vidal, Maria Dolores Pérez Hernández).
Here (https://jobs.awi.de/Vacancies/2027/Description/2) we advertise a
Postdoc position within MixSed work package 1 (
http://www.mixsed.uni-hamburg.de/research/workpackage-1.html) at AWI that
will analyze the mooring data in Fram Strait. A particular focus will be on
quantifying the temporal variability from hours to seasons of the
submesoscale gradients in the surface mixed layer in Fram Strait. This will
be used for dynamical analyses (for example the analyses might be similar
to these studies: DOI:10.1175/JPO-D-18-0253.1, DOI:10.1175/JPO-D-21-0099.1,
DOI:10.1175/JPO-D-15-0170.1) revealing processes participating in the water
mass transformation. The Postdoc may participate in the shipboard work in
Denmark Strait and Fram Strait in 2026 (mooring deployment and recovery).
Historical data from those areas may also be analyzed to better quantify
the background conditions that the novel submesoscale resolving
observations are embedded in. The Postdoc will closely collaborate with the
PIs and with a Postdoc at the University of Hamburg who will perform
similar analyses using the data from the bottom mixed layer in Denmark
Strait.
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