Research Fellow

We are seeking a motivated scientist to contribute to a project looking at the global methane cycle and using numerical models of atmospheric transport and chemistry, including the TOMCAT model, to quantify methane sources and sinks using atmospheric concentration data. Similar to CO2, atmospheric CH4 levels have increased strongly over the last century, approximately doubling since 1900. Unlike CO2 methane reacts with atmospheric OH. and a second much smaller and less well constrained sink is reaction with Cl atoms. As a consequence, its levels are approximately 200 to 300 times lower than those of CO2. However, CH4 is a much more effective greenhouse gas than CO2, which makes the anthropogenic atmospheric methane perturbation the second largest contributor to human greenhouse warming.

The atmospheric CH4 concentration history over the last few decades poses puzzles. Until 2007 atmospheric CH4 levels seemed to be slowly levelling off suggesting that methane release and oxidative loss had reached a stationary state. However, from 2007 onwards, atmospheric CH4 has started to rise again at a fairly constant rate. Neither the cause of the levelling off pre-2007 nor the subsequent steady growth after 2007 are fully understood. Not only does CH4 itself pose questions, but so does its isotope 13CH4. Recently, in 2008, the ratio of atmospheric 13CH4 to 12CH4 started to decrease. This decrease has been attributed to increases in both Arctic and tropical wetland emissions which in turn may be a response to a warming climate. To what extent these regions are indeed the cause of this isotopic drift and what the responsible mechanisms are is not entirely clear.

You will apply an atmospheric approach to analyse and understand recent trends in atmospheric methane and its isotopes based on existing and new data which are being collected as part of the new NERC consortium MOYA. The tasks include (i) analysis of the role of Cl on CH4 using TOMCAT full chemistry simulations, (ii) use of the TOMCAT transport model and its 4DVar inverse version to analyse new and existing atmospheric 12CH4 and 13CH4 data. Several UK institutions are involved in MOYA and thus it will be collaborative work.

You will hold a PhD in quantitative sciences (e.g. geophysics, climate sciences and modelling, maths, physics) or be awaiting viva examination for a PhD. You will also have strong quantitative skills and excellent familiarity with large computer codes on Unix environments (Fortran, C) and familiarity with data analysis and data display tools like IDL, R, Matlab, ferret.

The University of Leeds’ commitment to women in science has been recognised with a national accolade. The University has received the Athena SWAN Bronze Award and the Faculty of Environment holds the Athena SWAN Bronze Award in recognition of our success in recruiting, retaining and developing/promoting women in Science, Engineering and Technology (SET). We are proud of our commitment to equality and inclusiveness.

The University also offers family friendly policies including generous maternity and paternity leave; full details of the policies can be found here http://hr.leeds.ac.uk/homepage/4/policies.

Informal enquiries may be made to Professor Martyn Chipperfield, tel +44 (0)113 343 6459, email M.Chipperfield@leeds.ac.uk, or Professor Emanuel Gloor, tel +44 (0)113 343 3305, email e.gloor@leeds.ac.uk.

Click here for further information about working at the University of Leeds www.leeds.ac.uk/info/20025/university_jobs