3 Post-doctoral Fellowships in Ocean Modelling
Closing date 15 November 2020:
Institution:The CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) is a leading scientific and technology research organisation, implementing projects throughout Africa and making a difference in people’s lives.
Introduction:The CSIR’s Southern Ocean Carbon – Climate Observatory programme is seeking 3 (three) Post-doctoral Researchers as part of a collaboration between its Ocean Systems and Climate group and the Marine Research Institute (Ma-Re) at the University of Cape Town (UCT). These appointments are linked to 3 EU H2020 projects (SO-CHIC, COMFORT & AtlantECO) in which CSIR-SOCCO is a partner. The opportunities are based in the Rosebank, Cape Town office of the CSIR, formalized through a research associate fellowship at Ma-Re, UCT. The appointments are temporary for a period of two years (with the possibility of an extension for a third year). The post-doctorate research will align with the science plans of the Southern Ocean Carbon - Climate Observatory (SOCCO); a multi-institutional and inter-disciplinary South African initiative whose aims are to understand the link between climate and the carbon cycle in the Southern Ocean (http://socco.org.za/).
Post Doc 1:Southern Ocean CO2 and Heat Uptake: The future role of the Southern Ocean in influencing the rates of global warming depends critically on the sensitivity of its uptake and storage of heat and anthropogenic CO2. This sensitivity is thought to be largely dependent on the response in the physics of the mixed layer and sea ice system to climate change. This post-doctoral fellowship aims to use air-sea CO2 re-constructions, high resolution models as well as Earth System Models (ESMs) to examine the climate sensitivity of the mechanisms that explain CO2 and heat ocean – atmosphere fluxes in the Southern Ocean.
Post Doc 2:Southern Ocean Emerging Feedbacks in Carbon Cycle: The sensitivity of coupled ocean – atmosphere physical and ocean biogeochemical mechanisms to climate forcing can lead to regional non-linear responses that lead to changing feedbacks, thresholds of abrupt change and tipping points. This post doctoral fellowship aims to use the South African ESM in combination with other CMIP6 models to examine how non-linearities in the carbon cycle can be linked to specific physical and biogeochemical mechanisms, their scales and dynamics in the Southern Ocean.