Bio-Optical Linkages to Acoustic Scattering Layers
This project studies how marine life, light, and sound interact in the Barents Sea to understand the formation and prediction of deep scattering layers.
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
Funding Amounts: $86,962 stipend plus $3,000 travel allowance; typical fellowship duration 2-3 years
Summary: Supports postdoctoral research advancing understanding of ecological, optical, and acoustic processes related to deep scattering layers in the Barents Sea.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents; requires Ph.D. earned within last 5 years; relocation and health insurance benefits included.
Description
This fellowship opportunity at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) focuses on advancing scientific understanding of the complex relationships among ecological processes, marine optics, and acoustic scattering layers (also known as deep scattering layers) in the western Barents Sea near the Polar Front. The research aims to elucidate how energetic oceanographic processes influence the formation and behavior of these scattering layers, which are important for marine ecology and acoustic sensing.
Key research topics include:
- Collection and multi-frequency analysis of bio-acoustic data.
- Identification of organisms forming the acoustic scattering layers using acoustic data and in situ imagery.
- Determination of organisms’ preferred light levels and triggers for diel vertical migration.
- Development of methodologies, including numerical modeling and machine learning, to analyze multivariate relationships among diverse data types.
- Creation of non-acoustic techniques to predict the strength and location of acoustic scattering layers.
This project integrates marine ecology, bioacoustics, optics, and computational methods to improve predictive understanding of marine scattering phenomena.
