Position 1: Fully funded PhD studentship in the  algorithmictesting/improvement of paleo ice sheet history matching

This studentship has two related projects.Project A: Create a set of noisy digital twins of the last glacialcycle Greenland ice sheet for objective testing of inversemethodologies for constraining or reconstructing past ice sheetevolution. To date, though there are various approaches that claim toreconstruct past ice sheet evolution, none have been subject to anobjective test of whether the methodology will capture the evolutionof the actual physical system within stated uncertainties. Thisproject aims to finally enable such a test.Project B: Building on project A and the discussion in https://www.physics.mun.ca/~lev/revCalG.pdf, this project will comparedifferent stochastic process and Bayesian artificial neural networkemulators for history matching contexts and refine methodologies forhistory matching in paleo ice and climate modelling contexts.

Position 2: Fully funded PhD studentship in coupled climate and ice sheetmodelling of the Pleistocene

This studentship has two related projects:Project 1A: History matching (https://www.physics.mun.ca/~lev/revCalG.pdf) of a global coupled iceand climate model for the last glacial cycle. From Last GlacialMaximum onward, glacial geology and relative sea level data provide astrong set of constraints which are a challenge to fit. Conversely,prior to LGM, there are much fewer constraints on ice sheetevolution. However there are many more constraints on regional climatefrom ice core, terrestrial, and marine core records. This historymatching will therefore focus on pre-LGM global ice sheet and climateevolution relying more on paleoclimate constraints.Project 1B: Using the history-matched parameter vectors from project1A, examine the stability of select glacial cycles of the last 2million years especially in the context of explaining themid-Pleistocene transition from approximately 40 kyr glacial cycles to100 kyr cycles.  This will entail analysis of noise sensitivity (egfrom large volcanic events), the impact of changing topography due tosubglacial erosion and sediment transport, and the testing ofsimplified carbon cycle representations.Both of these projects will rely on the LCice2.0 coupled glacialsystem model (GSM, https://gmd.copernicus.org/articles/18/9565/2025/)and LOVECLIM EMIC (an earlier version was detailed in Bahadory andTarasov, GMD, 2018, Bahadory et al, CP 2021). A key relevant featureof the GSM is the state-of-the-art fully coupled sub-glacial sedimentprocesses model (cf Drew and Tarasov,https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-5375367/v1).

Applications for any of the positions are invited from candidates withan interest in modelling ice sheet and climate interactions and EarthSystems science.  Applicants must have their Masters degree inphysics, geophysics, applied mathematics, or closely relatedfields. They must be fluent in English. Applicants must also beinterested in working in a collaborative environment incomputationally intensive projects.

To apply for any of the two positions:

Required skills: 

-Experience in: coding in F90 (or F95), C, or Python; shell scripting;and analysis packages such as OCTAVE/MATLAB, R, CDO, ... 

-Knowledge of general physics and some exposure to fluid dynamics or  continuum mechanics (even better with understanding of geophysical  fluid dynamics and/or atmospheric or ocean physics or glaciology) 

-Fluency in relevant maths (linear/matrix algebra, partial   differential equations, and vector calculus) 

-Working familiarity with Linux 

-For position 1 also need experience with machine learning and/orstatistical emulators

The group has a dedicated 720 core cluster and access to furthercomputational resources through Compute Canada and ACENETAssociated benefit: the spectacular natural environment of Newfoundland, Canada (and a non-corrupt supreme court, at least halfsane/functional democracy, ...)

Start date: Sept 1/2025

Interested students should contact:

Lev Tarasov, Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography

Memorial University of NewfoundlandSt. John's, NL A1B This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.://www.physics.mun.ca/~lev/

include the following:

1. A cover letter including your name, academic status and contact details, as well as the names and contact details of two faculty advisers from whom confidential letters may be sought.                         2. A statement of interest including long-term academic plans, research
interests,...
3. A short resume/CV, including a list of courses taken, and grades.
4. A self evaluation of strong and weak research skills, skills you
particularly want to develop, and likes and dislikes associated with
research and modelling.