Carbon from Space: ocean atmosphere exchange of CO2 from the International Space Station and the European Sentinels

Project description:

Oceanic phytoplankton contribute approximately half of Earth’s net primary production, providing an essential link in the regulation of global atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). Every day, over 100 million tons of CO2 are fixed into organic material in the upper ocean by marine phytoplankton (Behrenfeld et al. 2006), which acts as the ocean’s lungs through exchange of CO2 and O2 with the atmosphere.

This exchange is partly controlled by photosynthesis and respiration, the engines of biogeochemical cycling of climatically important gases. Under increasing anthropogenic pressures and to enable future climate projections, it is necessary to quantify the atmosphere-ocean exchange of CO2, hence to assess where and when the ocean is a net source or sink of CO2 to the atmosphere.

Air-sea CO2 exchange is controlled by physics and biology. Synergistic use of satellite remote sensing data has changed our understanding of the environmental factors impacting the air-sea CO2 exchange (e.g. Land et al 2013). Most satellite methods for estimating air-sea CO2 fluxes
use climatology data to quantify sea water CO2 concentrations. These methods do not account for the variations in carbon respired by phytoplankton, which can alter the localised air-sea CO2 exchange by >50%. A number of algorithms that quantify the effects of respiration on primary production have already been developed (see Figure 1).

We are in an exciting period for satellite remote sensing; a fleet of European Sentinel satellites are being launched, and NASA are developing hyperspectral capabilities.

The successful PhD student will undertake a unique programme of research aimed at exploiting superspectral (e.g. MODIS, Sentinel 3 OLCI) and hyperspectral (International Space Station HICO) remotely sensed ocean colour data to enable sub-monthly satellite-derived estimates of air-sea gas fluxes, which include the impact of respiration. This research will feed into international efforts for studying climate change. The student will work with Drs Gavin Tilstone (PML), Vas Kitidis (PML) and Gabriel Yvon-Durocher (UoE) who are experts in marine production and respiration, and Drs Jamie Shutler (UoE) and Peter Land (PML) who are experts in gas exchange. The cross-disciplinary nature of this research means that the student will develop expertise in i) remote sensing and fieldwork, ii) the carbon cycle, iii) climate change and iv) spatial/temporal data analyses. They will work in world class research institutes, have opportunities to present their work at international conferences, take part in research cruises and have access to state-of-the-art field, laboratory and computing facilities.

How to apply

For further details and to apply, please click http://www.pml.ac.uk/pmlsite/media/PML-Media/Documents/How_to_Apply_GW4_Marine_Science_Studentships_2015-19.pdf

Deadline for applications: 1200hrs Thursday 15 January 2015