Thermospheric and Ionospheric Physics
This grant supports developing & using spectroscopic instruments on satellites/rockets to study Earth's upper atmosphere physics & chemistry, including UV tomography.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
NRC Research Associateship Programs has archived this opportunity.
Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: May 1, 2025 (Next deadline)
Funding Amounts: Stipend approximately $99,200 per year plus $3,000 travel allowance; relocation assistance available for eligible awardees.
Summary: Supports postdoctoral research focused on developing and using spectroscopic instruments on rockets and satellites to study the physics and chemistry of Earth's upper atmosphere, including ultraviolet optical tomography of ionospheric and atmospheric morphology.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens with a doctoral degree; tenure at Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC; requires contacting a Research Adviser prior to application.
Description
This fellowship opportunity is offered through the NRC Research Associateship Programs at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in Washington, DC. It supports postdoctoral researchers in the Thermospheric and Ionospheric Physics program, which focuses on the design, development, calibration, and flight of spectroscopic instruments aboard rockets and satellites. These instruments are used to investigate the physics and chemistry of Earth's upper atmosphere, including the thermosphere and ionosphere.
The research program involves data analysis from various satellite missions and rocket experiments such as ARGOS, DMSP/SSULI, COSMIC, ANDE, ISS/RAIDS, and ISS/GROUP-C. Atmospheric models incorporating radiation transport, photoelectron production, excitation, and fluorescence are used to interpret the data. A current research emphasis is on ultraviolet optical tomography to characterize ionospheric and atmospheric morphology for space environment specification, utilizing instruments like SSULI/SSUSI, COSMIC/TIP, and ISS GROUP-C/LITES.
This fellowship provides a unique opportunity to engage in cutting-edge space science research with access to state-of-the-art facilities and collaboration with leading scientists in the field.
