PhD Studentship: Spatial Variations of the Urban Boundary Layer - What are the Feedbacks from Anthropogenic Heat Fluxes?

Department/School: School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences – Department of Meteorology 

Supervisors: Prof Sue Grimmond, & Met Office: Humphrey Lean, Sylvia Bohnenstengel, Joelle Buxmann

The next generation of weather models will have high resolution sub-km modelling. These will be used to inform critical decisions about how cities operate day-to-day into the future. At this scale, different neighbourhoods of a city can be distinguished.

The proposed research will focus on the spatial variation of the boundary layer across cities in response to neighbourhood scale variations in heat emissions from human activities (the anthropogenic heat flux). Working with ERC urbisphere’s (http://urbisphere.eu/) network of sensors across Berlin to assess spatial variability, will provide much needed insights into the impact of human activities and how they vary across cities; i.e. controlling the release of heat into urban areas (e.g. from buildings and vehicles) and the influence of this.

The observational data will be compared to those simulated with next generation of Unified Model (UM)  (~100m grid resolution). The key focus will be to consider the impact of spatio-temporal variations in anthropogenic heat fluxes on the boundary layer height. This will evaluate a new anthropogenic heat flux model being put into the UM urban surface energy balance scheme. The goal will be to assess if the dynamic feedbacks in anthropogenic heat fluxes enhance modelling of urban-atmosphere exchanges.

This will build on previous MO/University of Reading studentships to enhance model skill and to explore the spatial variability of urban processes. It will draw on the aerFO (aerosol backscatter forward operator) enhanced by collaborative research, for ceilometers. This project will use new state-of-the-art ERC urbisphere observations (e.g. CL61, CL31 ceilometers, Doppler Wind Lidars and scintillometer) to allow spatial variations in boundary layer characteristics and sensible heat fluxes.

Through ERC urbisphere the student will attend meetings with international partners and have the opportunity to be involved in urbisphere fieldwork.

Eligibility

Applicants should hold or expect to gain an excellent Masters and/or Bachelor Degree or equivalent in in physics, mathematics or a closely related environmental/physical science or engineering. Strong programming skills (Python and Fortan) will be beneficial.

Funding:   

• Starts as soon as possible
• 3 year award
• Funding covers full UK/Home tuition fees (but not international fees) plus UKRI stipend (currently at £17,668)

How to apply:

To apply click “Apply for a programme” to create your account and use the link sent by email to start the application process.   During the application process please select the PhD in Atmosphere, Oceans and Climate

*Important notes*

1. Please quote the reference ‘GS22-022’ in the ‘Scholarships applied for’ box which appears within the Funding Section of your on-line application.
2. When you are prompted by the online application system to upload a research proposal – please state why you are applying for this topic.

Application Deadline:  Until a suitable candidate is found

The successful candidate will be confirmed via a formal studentship award letter; this is separate from any Offer of Admission and will be subject to standard checks for eligibility and other criteria. 

For further details please contact c.s.grimmond@reading.ac.uk

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