Research Associate in Modelling Photosynthesis and Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds Emissions

Location: Silwood Park Campus

About the role:

Within the European HORIZON program “CONCERTO”  (improved CarbOn cycle represeNtation through multi-sCale models and Earth obseRvation for Terrestrial ecOstyems), you will develop a unifying model for photosynthesis and BVOC emissions within the P model (https://stineb.github.io/sofun/pmodel.html). This modelling framework will account for pigments dynamic involved in light absorption and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). This modelling work aims to prepare for data exploitation of the upcoming FLEX mission through exploiting Sentinel-5P/ Tropomi HCHO indicative of BVOC emissions.

What you would be doing:

You will:

1. Develop and test a new implementation of the P model, accounting for BVOC emission as well as photosynthetic pigments dynamic. This new version will incorporate the most recent findings on the adaptive nature of Gross Primary Production (GPP) responses to temperature and soil moisture i.e. new representations of how the intrinsic quantum efficiency of light-limited photosynthesis responds to temperature and soil moisture; how vegetation structure affects light limitation and photosynthesis response; how NPQ fluctuates with environmental changes.
2. Run and test the new implementation of the P model at 0.5º resolution. The runs will be driven by state-of-the-art satellite retrieval of chlorophyll and carotenoids delivered by the ESA Climate Change Initiative- Vegetation Parameters (https://climate.esa.int/en/projects/vegetation-parameters/) starting with a transect covering a longitude band from 20º to 30º East and covering all the North to South latitudes and then globally. The model will be run and tested in different configurations using combination of EO to drive the P model (LAI and FAPAR, Land Surface temperature and soil moisture)
3. Assess the modelled carbon assimilation using flux towers data in the LEMONTREE flux data kit. (https://research.reading.ac.uk/lemontree/)
4. Assess modelled emissions. Model results will be compared to site-level observations, MEGAN3 results, and top-down estimates provided by Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy within the CONCERTO project.
5. Assess the impact of extreme events on carbon cycling and recovery from extreme events, including heatwaves, droughts and wildfires.

What we are looking for:

• Hold, or near completion of, a PhD in in global environmental modelling/ satellite data a closely related discipline or equivalent research, industrial or commercial experience
• Experience in Earth system modelling
• Experience in dealing with satellite data
• Knowledge in plant physiology

What we can offer you:

• The opportunity to be part of a stimulating team (Professor Colin Prentice’s group https://prenticeclimategroup.wordpress.com/lab-members/) that aims to build the next generation of climate models
• The opportunity to be part of the CONCERTO project, an innovative scientific collaborative framework.

Further Information

Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as a Research Assistant.

The Prentice group’s research focuses on understanding how plants react to and interact with changes in climate and other aspects of the physical environment. Our priority is to develop the ‘next generation’ dynamic global vegetation models based on eco-evolutionary optimality principles. Main active research projects that the team are involved in LEMONTREE funded by the Schmidt Futures Proramme (2021- 2026), the Leverhulme Centre for Wildfires, Environment and Society funded by the Leverhulme Trust (2019- 2029 ), the CONCERTO project funded by the European HORIZON (2025-2028)

If you require any further details on the role please contact:

Catherine Morfopoulos – c.moropoulos@imperial.ac.uk

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