or
Continue with FacebookLooking to list your PhD opportunities? Log in here.
This project is no longer listed on FindAPhD.com and may not be available.
Click here to search FindAPhD.com for PhD studentship opportunities
Prof P Knippertz
Prof Douglas Parker
Applications accepted all year round
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)
About the Project
The onset in the West Africa summer monsoon in June-July is one of the most important factors for agricultural planning in this highly vulnerable region, where the livelihood of large parts of the population relies on subsistence farming. A late onset for example can lead to a substantial reduction in yields, if the timing of planting is not adapted. A reliable prediction of the onset date is therefore an important factor to improve food security in West Africa. Currently used approaches are statistical models based on past observations and/or dynamical computer models run by operational forecast centres such as the Met Office. Unfortunately both show relatively low skill hampering an effective adaptation of agricultural practices.
Past research suggests that the onset is controlled by a range of factors including sea-surface temperatures, the state of the land surface and the strength and position of the Saharan heat low, which controls the southerly inflow of moist air into the West African subcontinent. In particular, interactions between precipitation, vegetation and soil moisture can have important effects on the monsoon system. However, the interplay of these processes and how to best represent them in dynamical models are still far from being well understood.
This studentship will use recent data from field campaigns, satellites and other observing systems to investigate the physical mechanisms of the monsoon onset. In addition the Met Office Unified Model, which is used for operational forecasting over West Africa, will be investigated with respect to how to improve predictions on seasonal and shorter timescales. This will include diagnosing existing model output, but also actively running sensitivity experiments with e.g. prescribed sea-surface temperatures and soil moisture.
This project has been approved as a "CASE studentship" by the Met Office. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to visit West African organisations involved in seasonal forecasting operations such as ACMAD in Niamey, Niger. The project will contribute to the DfID-Met Office Climate Science Research Partnership (CSRP) and the Africa Process Evaluation Group (PEG) at the Met Office. The shared supervision between Leeds and the Met Office will provide strong support for the PhD candidate and ensure application of the results in forecast operations. This way results from this project are expected to contribute to improving food security within West African communities in the long run.
Past research suggests that the onset is controlled by a range of factors including sea-surface temperatures, the state of the land surface and the strength and position of the Saharan heat low, which controls the southerly inflow of moist air into the West African subcontinent. In particular, interactions between precipitation, vegetation and soil moisture can have important effects on the monsoon system. However, the interplay of these processes and how to best represent them in dynamical models are still far from being well understood.
This studentship will use recent data from field campaigns, satellites and other observing systems to investigate the physical mechanisms of the monsoon onset. In addition the Met Office Unified Model, which is used for operational forecasting over West Africa, will be investigated with respect to how to improve predictions on seasonal and shorter timescales. This will include diagnosing existing model output, but also actively running sensitivity experiments with e.g. prescribed sea-surface temperatures and soil moisture.
This project has been approved as a "CASE studentship" by the Met Office. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to visit West African organisations involved in seasonal forecasting operations such as ACMAD in Niamey, Niger. The project will contribute to the DfID-Met Office Climate Science Research Partnership (CSRP) and the Africa Process Evaluation Group (PEG) at the Met Office. The shared supervision between Leeds and the Met Office will provide strong support for the PhD candidate and ensure application of the results in forecast operations. This way results from this project are expected to contribute to improving food security within West African communities in the long run.
Funding Notes
Only UK students are eligible for this project. A good first degree (1 or high 2i), or a good Masters degree in a physical or mathematical discipline, such as mathematics, physics, geophysics, engineering or meteorology is required.
Project supervisors
Prof P Knippertz's profile is coming soon
View other supervisors at University of LeedsCareer overview
Professor Douglas Parker is a Professor of Meteorology at the University of Leeds, where he has a joint position between the School of Earth and Environment and the School of Mathematics. He obtained a PhD in Meteorology from the University of Reading and an MA in Mathematics from the University of Cambridge. His research focuses on the physics and fluid dynamics of the climate system, particularly the dynamics of weather systems such as cumulonimbus storms, cyclones, and monsoons in the context of climate change. Professor Parker has conducted observational and theoretical studies aimed at developing new models of weather patterns, improving weather and climate predictions, and making these predictions more relevant to society. From 2010 to 2019, he coordinated the University of Leeds'' formal partnership with the Met Office and held a secondment to lead the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) Science Group at Leeds from 2021 to 2024. He currently holds an adjoint position at NORCE-Climate in Bergen from 2021 to 2025. Professor Parker has led significant projects such as the GCRF African SWIFT project, which aimed to enhance weather forecasts in Africa, and has played a leading role in the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (AMMA) programme, the largest multidisciplinary research programme conducted in Africa. He has authored and edited a textbook titled ''Meteorology of Tropical West Africa: The Forecasters'' Handbook,'' which has been translated into French and distributed to forecasting and training centres in Africa. His contributions to the field have been recognised with several awards, including the Royal Society Wolfson Merit Award and the University of Leeds Vice-Chancellor’s Impact Award. His work was also integral to the Queen’s Anniversary Prize awarded to the University of Leeds in 2021.
Research interests
Professor Douglas Parker''s research is centred on the physics and dynamics of weather systems within the context of Earth''s changing climate. His work investigates the interaction of weather systems with global circulation, their societal impacts, and the development of practical solutions for utilising weather and climate information. He has explored how rainfall patterns over West Africa influence soil moisture and subsequent rainfall events, contributing to improved weather forecasting in the region. Additionally, he has examined various types of storms in the UK, focusing on cloud processes and their role in larger-scale storm dynamics. Much of his research has been conducted in collaboration with the Met Office, enhancing their weather and climate forecasting systems. Professor Parker has led and participated in numerous significant projects, including the GCRF African SWIFT project, aimed at improving weather forecasts in Africa, and the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (AMMA) programme, which is one of the largest multidisciplinary research initiatives in Africa. His current research projects include the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis, the JET2000 Project, and initiatives focused on improving model processes for African climate and nowcasting with AI for African rainfall. He has also contributed to educational programmes and authored a textbook on weather forecasting in West Africa, which has been translated into French and distributed to various forecasting and training centres across Africa. His research has been recognised through various awards, including the Queen’s Anniversary Prize awarded to the University of Leeds in 2021.
Meteorology
Climate Change
Weather System Dynamics
Convective Storms
African Weather and Climate
Tropical Meteorology
Weather Forecasting
Atmospheric Fluid Dynamics
Global Circulation
Weather Predictions
Transdisciplinary Research
Climate Information
Soil Moisture Patterns
Storm Dynamics
Field Campaigns
Weather Forecasting Techniques
Monsoons
Cyclones
Rainfall Events
Extreme Weather
Climate Data Analysis
Educational Programmes
Meteorology and Climate Science.
