Vacation Student – Model Validation

The British Antarctic Survey (BAS), part of the Natural Environment Research Council, aims to undertake a world-class programme of scientific research, and to sustain for the UK an active and influential regional presence and a leadership role in Antarctic affairs. BAS has developed a radiation belt model to forecast high energy electron fluxes and provide an associated risk index for satellites in geosynchronous orbit. The model now needs validation in the heart of the Earth’s outer radiation belt where the fluxes of energetic electrons are highest, and, potentially, most damaging. This is the region which is traversed by global positioning satellites such as the US GPS system and the developing European Galileo satellite navigation system. A physicist or mathematician is now required for a short research project to help validate the BAS radiation belt model. The project is to take output from the BAS radiation belt model and convert the output into a form suitable for comparison with satellite data in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). The project will involve running the model and processing it to provide predictions of the count rates of energetic electrons measured by European satellites in MEO. The successful applicant is expected to learn about and run the 3d model, but is not expected to develop the code. The applicant will be expected to write a report on the results.

The post is BAS at the British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, and will be carried out under the supervision of Dr Nigel Meredith and Prof. Richard Horne.

Qualifications: Applicants must have A level Physics and Maths, at least 1 year undergraduate experience in Physics or Maths and a working knowledge of FORTRAN, C or other similar high-level compiled computer language. They must speak and write English fluently and be able to work in a small team. Experience of IDL, numerical models or large computer programs would be an advantage. Applicants should state their computing experience (languages, systems, projects undertaken etc.) and mathematical background on their applications.

Duration: 10 weeks

Salary: Salary will be in the range of £14,620 to £18,910 per annum, pro-rata. We offer benefits including free car parking, flexible working hours and 30 days annual leave per annum, pro-rata.

On-line application forms and further information are available on our website at www.antarctica.ac.uk/employment

These are also available from the Human Resources Section, British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET. Tel: (01223) 221508. 

Please quote reference: BAS 52/12 
Closing date for receipt of application forms is 6th May 2012 
Interviews are scheduled to be held w/c 14th May 2012