PhD Studentship - Quantifying the Impact of Sustainable Aviation Fuel on Ice Crystal Nucleation Using a Cloud Chamber and Numerical Modelling

Application deadline: All year round

No. of PhD positions: one

This 3.5 year PhD project is funded by the Department Earth and Environmental Sciences. Tuition fees will be paid and you will receive an annual tax free stipend based on the UKRI rate (£19,237 for 2024/25) with an additional £1,000 RTSG fund per annum. This is for a July 2025 start date.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is gaining global attention as a critical solution for reducing the environmental impact of aviation. Unlike conventional fossil-based jet fuel, SAF has a lower carbon footprint and produces fewer particulate emissions, which are critical factors influencing contrail formation and cloud microphysics. Ice crystal nucleation, the process by which water vapor condenses and freezes onto particulates, is a key phenomenon in contrail development and its subsequent climatic effects. However, the extent to which SAF alters ice crystal nucleation and contrail characteristics remains poorly understood.

A cloud chamber provides an ideal environment for studying ice crystal nucleation under controlled conditions. By simulating the microphysical and thermodynamic conditions of the upper troposphere, the cloud chamber allows for systematic investigation of how SAF emissions influence ice crystal formation. Complementary numerical modelling can further elucidate the physical mechanisms and provide parameterizations for use in global climate models.

Objectives

The primary objective of this PhD project is to quantify the impact of SAF on ice crystal nucleation using a cloud chamber and numerical modelling. Specific aims include:

• Experimentally measure the nucleation efficiency of ice crystals in exhaust plumes from SAF and conventional jet fuels under controlled cloud chamber conditions.
• Identify the role of particulate emissions (e.g., soot and non-volatile particulates) in ice nucleation processes associated with SAF combustion.
• Develop and validate a numerical model to simulate ice crystal nucleation and contrail formation under varying fuel compositions.
• Integrate findings into atmospheric models to assess the broader implications of SAF usage on contrail radiative forcing and impact.

Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2.1 honours degree or a master’s (or international equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering related discipline. This PhD project is open to home students only.

Please contact the supervisor, Dr Paul Connolly - paul.connolly@manchester.ac.uk, for this project before you apply. Please include details of your current level of study, academic background and any relevant experience and include a paragraph about your motivation to study this PhD project.

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