Aeolian dune order and organisation: the novel geospatial analysis of Earth and Martian sand seas

Application details
Reference number: CENTA18-LU2
Start date: October 1st 2019
Closing date: January 21st 2019
Interview date: Week beginning February 11th 2019

Supervisors:
Primary supervisor: Dr Matthew Baddock
Secondary supervisor: Dr John Hillier

Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a top-ten rated university in England for research intensity (REF2014). In choosing Loughborough for your research, you’ll work alongside academics who are leaders in their field. You will benefit from comprehensive support and guidance from our Doctoral College, including tailored careers advice, to help you succeed in your research and future career.
Find out more: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/supporting-you/research/

Project Detail
Dunes form into dunefields and sand seas that produce vast assemblages of bedforms covering 104 to 105 km2 in extent. As such, aeolian dunes represent one of the major terrestrial environmental systems. Within dunefields, the patterns of size and shape, alignment, organisation and order displayed by bedforms all inform about the large-scale controls and environmental drivers that explain these dune systems, including wind regime and sand supply. Applying our knowledge to the dunes observed on Mars also provides an extremely valuable handle for understanding the environment and climate of extra-terrestrial settings too.

This PhD will achieve insight into dune system dynamics at the largest scale through the use of cutting edge remote sensing and digital topographic datasets. The research offers the chance to develop high level expertise and experience in a wide range of satellite and climate data, as well as GIS techniques. A key novelty of the project involves taking a global focus, looking over multiple dunefields and dune types, achieved by the application of an automated, algorithm-based analysis of dune morphometrics. Outcomes of the research will bring about objective characterisation of the environmentally informative patterning of dunefields through a scope encompassing both Earth and Mars.

Find out more:
For further information on this project, please see the main CENTA website (http://www.centa.org.uk/) or contact Dr Matthew Baddock ([Email Address Removed]).

Entry requirements
Applicants will normally need to hold, or expect to gain, at least a 2:1 degree (or equivalent) in Geography, Biology, Earth Science or Environmental Science. A Master’s degree and/or experience in a related area associated with the research will be an advantage.

Contact details
Name: Dr Matthew Baddock
Email address: [Email Address Removed]
Telephone number: +44 (0)1509 222798

How to apply
To apply:
1. Complete a CENTA studentship application form in Word format (available from http://www.centa.org.uk/apply/ or http://www.centa.org.uk/media/1202/centa-studentship-application-form.docx.).

2. All applications should be made online at http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/apply/research/. Under programme name, select “Geography and Environment”. During the online application process, upload the CENTA studentship application form as a supporting document.
Please quote CENTA18-LU2 when completing your online application.