Start date: 1st October 2005.

The transfer of gas between atmosphere and ocean is a globally important environmental parameter, and a research position has become available as part of a national study into this phenomenon. Specifically it is the opportunity to study for a PhD award in the topic of Ocean Acoustics at the Institute of Sound and Vibration research, University of Southampton, UK (with strong collaboration with the National Oceanographic Centre,
Southampton, NOCS). In the initial stage, under the supervision of Prof. T G Leighton the student will construct a laboratory-based hydrophone array capable of studying two aspects of wave breaking: first the array will measure the sound emitted by breaking waves; and second, it will measure the attenuation of a sound pulse as it propagates along this array. These two measurements will be used to infer the evolution of the bubble cloud under the breaking wave.

The project will involve a combination of experimental work and signal processing (Matlab) to invert the acoustic data to obtain the bubble population information. A good degree in Acoustics, Engineering, Physics or Physical Oceanography will be required.

This project is conducted as part of a larger UK-wide study of atmosphere/ocean gas flux (SOLAS - for more information see http://www.nerc.ac.uk/funding/thematics/solas/). Consequently there will be considerable interaction with the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (NOCS). After the initial phase of the project has produced a validated laboratory-based system, colleagues at the NOCS (Dr D. Woolf and Dr
M.Srokosz) will oversee its incorporation into an autonomous buoy which will be deployed at sea, on two cruises which the student will be expected participate in onboard the ship. The acoustic bubble data will then be combined with the wave breaking data and models for the evolution of an oceanic bubble cloud, in order to understand these processes which are so important to the interactions and gas transfer between the atmosphere and the oceans.

Please send a comprehensive CV including contact details to Professor Tim Leighton, I.S.V.R, University of Southampton, Highfield SO17 1BJ. E-mail tgl@soton.ac.uk. Telephone 02380 592331.

To be returned no later than 26 Aug 2005. Please quote reference number 04R0899