PhD Studentship: Space-based Quantum Sensing for Maritime Applications

The exciting progress of quantum sensing in laboratory experiments have prompted a worldwide effort to develop robust portable systems that can be used in real-life applications. An example is atom interferometry, where clouds of atoms are put into free-fall in the gravitational field of the Earth to make precision measurements such as of gravity and gravity gradients. These have numerous potential applications, including across civil engineering, positioning and navigation, energy and climate – to name just a few. One exciting application area is atom interferometry in space, which brings several advantages including suppression of significant noise sources while allowing operation with long measurement times that are not limited by the fall time of the atoms. It is therefore increasingly considered for a variety of use cases ranging from remote Earth observation to positioning and navigation systems, particularly in the maritime domain where it could perform tasks such as environment and infrastructure monitoring, mapping of underwater regions, navigation, and resource exploration. It is also of great importance for the study of fundamental physics, where cold atoms in space has promise towards a range of investigations including in mid-band gravitational waves and searches for ultra-light dark matter.

However, major challenges persist. The disruptive sensitivities needed for those applications usually result in low-technological-readiness systems that are not compatible with the lightness and compactness requirements for satellite deployment. Furthermore, space-based quantum sensors should be capable of functioning accurately in dynamic environments and microgravity conditions. This necessitates innovative solutions to overcome these challenges. In addition, procedures and operational concepts for optimal data extraction to improve interpretability of space-gravity data need to be developed to inform the ideal sensing schemes for bringing benefit to practical end uses.

The aim of this project is to build a comprehensive model of a quantum sensor operating from space that could serve as a platform to assess the feasibility of various use cases relevant to maritime applications and investigate new techniques that could help next-generation quantum sensors reach the performance levels required for selected use cases. Objectives include:

1. development of a space-operated quantum sensor model and model-informed feasibility assessment of several use cases relevant to maritime applications;
2. In-depth analysis of the selected use case(s) to determine the critical factors that need to be addressed to achieve the desired performance levels, with a particular emphasis on accuracy, sensitivity and resilience, including investigation of operational and data capture concepts for space-borne gravimetry and gradiometry;
3. investigation of new techniques capable to mitigate these factors, such as proposing new sensor designs and modes of operation, improving data processing algorithms (e.g. to inverse the measured gravity signal into the signal of interest), and exploring multi-sensor integration strategies (such as blending gravity sensing with magnetometry) to enhance the quantum sensor's performance and resilience.

The successful completion of this project could lead to ground-breaking advancements in quantum sensing technology and significantly impact maritime and space-based applications.

This exciting and interdisciplinary project will be based at the University of Birmingham, where the successful candidate will work with people within the Schools of both Physics and Engineering. The successful applicant will be embedded in the Quantum Sensing group, containing a range of experiments and theoretical activities in atom interferometry, with connection to the Quantum Technology Hub in Sensors and Timing led by the University of Birmingham (www.quantumsensors.org).

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