Salary: £24,289 - £27,318 pa or the higher band of £28,132 - £36,661 pa

Application deadline: 31 January 2014

Starting date: 1 April 2014

Duration: 1 April 2014 until 31 March 2017

Duties/Responsibilities:

You will work within the Centre for Fusion, Space and Astrophysics (CFSA) in the Department of Physics on a research project supported on the group’s Consolidated Grant. The position is to fill a research project in the physics of the solar chromosphere and corona funded by the UK Science & Technology Facilities Council. The project will mostly involve simulations of the solar atmosphere and comparison with observational datasets.

You will have a first degree in a scientific discipline and should have a PhD, or be about to get a PhD, in a relevant area. The project involves research in both the chromosphere and corona and experience in any of these areas is an advantage.

An application form MUST be completed if you wish to be considered for this post. Details of how to apply can be found on a web page for those who are about to get a PhD here and for those with a PhD here. Applicants should also submit a signed covering letter with a concise description of their research accomplishments & interests and relevant technical experience, as well as a CV including a full publication list.

Informal enquiries about this post can be made to Professor Tony Arber (T.D.Arber@warwick.ac.uk).

Project description:

This three-year project's main priorities, in order of importance, are:

1. Complete numerical simulations of driven Alfvenic trubulnce in the Solar chromosphere and derive synthetic observations for comparison with satellite and ground based observational datasets. Assess the importance of MHD turbulnce in heating the upper chromopshere.
2. Study chromospheric reconnection including the effects of neutrals for comparison with observations. Can this explain spicules or chromospheric jets?
3. Derive observational signatures for unstable coronal loops include thermal conduction and optically thin radiative losses.

The numerical simulations will be with an existing code and any substantial alterations will be undertaken by the PI (Tony Arber). As a result while previous numerical experience is an advantage it is not essential.