PROPOSAL FOR A POST DOCTORAL POSITION AT CNRM-GAME
(URA 1357 CNRS/METEO-FRANCE) : EURO4M PROJECT
Candidates are invited to apply for a 16 month post-doctoral position starting on December
1st 2012, or asap after that date, on the following subject: “Off line simulation with SURFEX
using the 2D-Mesoscale downscaling analysis MESCAN” under the responsibility of the
“Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques” the research center of the French
meteorological service (CNRM-GAME, URA1357, CNRS/Météo-France Toulouse, France)
Deadline for application is 30th of September 2012.
Context:
The position will be funded by the European Union through the EURO4M (European
Reanalysis and Observations for Monitoring) FP7 project. This project aims to develop the
capacity to deliver the best possible and most complete climate change time series and
monitoring services covering the whole of Europe (including high impact weather and
extremes). The period will vary between the various data sources considered: up to 150 years
for in-situ data, 30 years for satellite data and parts of the last 20 years for the regional
reanalysis (~ 5 km) obtained by downscaling.
A reanalysis of past atmospheric states using modern data assimilation methods in a
Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) model has the advantage to provide a complete and
consistent picture of the atmosphere, together with many diagnostic quantities such as
radiative fluxes, precipitation, surface turbulent fluxes where no routine observations are
available over large domains.
However, the spatial resolution of current global NWP models inhibits the use of reanalysis
products for the study of regional climate changes and extremes. Within EURO4M two sets
(3D-Var and 4D-Var) of advanced reanalysis over Europe will be performed with an
horizontal resolution of about 15km. In order to further enhance the horizontal and detailed
structures of these regional analyses, a 2D downscaling analysis will be performed at a higher
resolution (~5km) . In this way, the fine scale structures given by some observations and
physiographic databases (topography, vegetation type, urban area) will be described.
This call of opportunity concerns the second work package of the project on “Regional
analysis” and more specifically, on the use of a 2D-analysis to force a surface scheme to
provide a snow climatology, soil moisture and surface fluxes (evaporation, heat …)
Work description:
The objective is to demonstrate the benefits of using the surface scheme SURFEX
(www.cnrm.meteo.fr/surfex/) forced by the 2D analysis system MESCAN developed in the
EURO4M project to produce a climatology of snow, soil moisture and surface fluxes.
SURFEX will be run over a period of several years, then it will be compared to existing
climatologies and observations. A focus will be put on mountainous areas, where the benefits
of a high resolution reanalysis are expected to be higher.
In the first par of the work, the SURFEX configuration (both in scientific and technical terms)
for the run will be built and validated based on previous offline runs and the availability of
forcing data.
Then the run will be produced and compared with various sources of data such as snow
observations over France, in-situ measurement of latent and sensible heat fluxes over Europe
(Cabauw, Sodankÿla, Lindenberg,...) and European satellite products (snow cover, surface
soil wetness). A comparison of the river discharge using the hydrological chain Safran-IsbaModcou over France will be done.
Required qualifications:
Ph.D. in atmospheric sciences or an engineer diploma in the same thematic obtained
before the date of the application.
1) Expertise in Fortran, Unix and high performance computing
2) Experience in surface parameterization, snow scheme
3) Fluency in French or English languages.
4) Experience in surface analysis and/or NWP would be an advantage
Practical information:
The successful applicant will be based at the CNRM (National Meteorological Research
Centre) with possibility of accommodation on site. The position will start on the 1st
December 2012 for 16-month duration. The net monthly salary will range between 2400 and
3000 euros , depending upon qualifications .
For full consideration, an application letter including a detailed statement of research interest,
along with a curriculum vitae (including research experience, publications and conferences,
computing skills and different language practice) and the names, telephone and email address
of 2 referees.
The package should be sent by email before the 30th of September 2012 to:
eric.martin@meteo.fr with copy to joel.poitevin@meteo.fr
and eric.bazile@meteo.fr
For more information, please contact:
Eric Martin
Météo-France
CNRM/ GAME
42 avenue G. Coriolis
31057 Toulouse Cedex 1
France
Tel. : +33 (0)5 61 07 9358
Fax : +33 (0)5 61 07 9626
Email : eric.martin@meteo.fr
For more details about CNRM-GAME please visit: www.cnrm.meteo.fr