Stratospheric Composition in a Changing Climate

ORAU

Pasadena (CA)

On-site

USD 60,000 - 80,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

A governmental research program is seeking a postdoctoral scholar in Pasadena, California to analyze stratospheric data. The position requires a Doctoral Degree and offers unique opportunities to contribute to NASA research. Responsibilities include using Microwave Limb Sounder data and studying the effects of wildfires and volcanic eruptions on the stratosphere. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, or foreign nationals eligible for a visa. Applications from certain countries may not be accepted.

Qualifications

Candidates must hold a Doctoral Degree.
Expertise in Earth science or related fields is preferred.

Responsibilities

Conduct in-depth analysis of stratospheric data.
Utilize data from Microwave Limb Sounder and other datasets.
Investigate impacts of wildfires and volcanic eruptions on the stratosphere.

Education

Doctoral Degree

Job description

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Field of Science

Earth Science

About the NASA Postdoctoral Program

The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) offers unique research opportunities to highly-talented scientists to engage in ongoing NASA research projects at a NASA Center, NASA Headquarters, or at a NASA-affiliated research institute. These one- to three-year fellowships are competitive and are designed to advance NASA’s missions in space science, Earth science, aeronautics, space operations, exploration systems, and astrobiology.

Description

In recent years, Earth’s stratospheric composition has been significantly perturbed, with potential implications for climate and ozone layer stability. Among the most notable events were the Australian New Year’s fires and the Hunga eruption. The record-breaking injection of smoke plumes into the stratosphere by the 2019/2020 Australian bushfires led to a prolonged and widespread perturbation in stratospheric chlorine behavior. The Hunga eruption in January 2022 not only caused the largest increase in stratospheric aerosol loading in the past 30 years but also injected 150 Tg of water directly into the stratosphere, instantaneously increasing stratospheric water vapor mass by around 10 %. This significantly altered the stratosphere, leaving it in an unprecedented anomalous state.

We are seeking a postdoctoral scholar to conduct in-depth analysis of stratospheric data, using data from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) as well as complementary datasets like the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS) and the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) on the International Space Station (ISS). Potential research areas include, but are not limited to, the impact of large wildfires on the stratosphere, effects of volcanic eruptions, long‑term trends in atmospheric composition, and the transport of pollutants into the stratosphere during the Asian Summer Monsoon.

Santee, M. L., Lambert, A., Manney, G. L., Livesey, N. J., Froidevaux, L., Neu, J. L., et al. (2022). Prolonged and pervasive perturbations in the composition of the Southern Hemisphere midlatitude lower stratosphere from the Australian New Year's fires. Geophysical Research Letters, 49, e2021GL096270. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL096270

Millán, L., Read, W. G., Santee, M. L., Lambert, A., Manney, G. L., Neu, J. L., et al. (2024). The Evolution of the Hunga hydration in a moistening stratosphere. Geophysical Research Letters, 51, e2024GL110841. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110841

Advisors

Luis Millan Valle
lmillan@jpl.nasa.gov
(626) 899‑8503

Eligibility

U.S. Citizens;
U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR);
Foreign Nationals eligible for an Exchange Visitor J-1 visa status; and,
Applicants for LPR, asylees, or refugees in the U.S. at the time of application with 1) a valid EAD card and 2) I‑485 or I‑589 forms in pending status

Applications with citizens from Designated Countries will not be accepted at this time, unless they are Legal Permanent Residents of the United States. A complete list of Designated Countries can be found at: https://www.nasa.gov/oiir/export-control.

Eligibility Requirements