satheeshmenon
22nd June 2005, 04:34 AM
The Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) is the leading research institute in the Netherlands for the basic marine sciences. Five departments (Physical Oceanography, Marine Chemistry and Geology, Marine Biogeochemistry and Toxicology, Biological Oceanography and Marine Ecology) carry out the multidisciplinary research of the institute. Approximately 250 persons are currently appointed at the NIOZ. NIOZ has a large variety of instrumentation and is operating modernly equipped research vessels for coastal and ocean studies. The institute is associated with the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO); it is located on the Wadden Island of Texel, close to the mainland.
We have a vacancy for 3:
PhD students (m/f)
Project 1 Marine Chemistry and Geology Department: Forcing and development of carbonate mound formation along the NW European margin.
Recent discoveries of carbonate mounds covered with cold water corals and related benthic communities along the NE Atlantic Ocean continental margin at depths between 500-1100 m (for example in thePorcupine Bight and north of Porcupine Bank, southeast and southwest Rockall Trough Margin, Norwegian margin), and of actively gas venting mud volcanoes along the margin surrounding the Gulf of Cadiz (associated with authigenic carbonate formation and deep-water reef-like coral build-ups and carbonate chimneys), as well as new discoveries of fossil and recent cold water coral reef structures in the Mediterranean, raises the question of their origin and development. A major objective of the proposed studies therefore is to establish the forcing conditions and possible relationship of carbonate mound and cold coral formation and presence, and to test the hypothesis of a possible linkage between (hydrocarbon related) cold seeps and the development of carbonate mounds, cold water benthic communities and authigenic carbonate. This proposal is directed towards a definition of the geological, geochemical and oceanographical conditions and processes forcing the development of carbonate mounds and towards establishing the benthic ecology and environmental conditions of carbonate mound and cold water coral reef formation in contrasting areas of the NE Atlantic Ocean. In this project we will study carbonate mound formation in selected mound areas from the SW Rockall Through and in the Gulf of Cadiz with a wide variety of techniques (?13C and ?18O of and trace elements Sr, Mg, Ba) of the carbonate to deduce their origin. In addition, we will use biomarkers for key microbes active in the anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) to test if seepage of methane from the subsurface is important in the formation of these carbonate mounds.
Further information can be obtained from Prof. Dr. T. van Weering, e-mail: tjeerd@nioz.nl, tel: +31 222 369395.
Project 2 Marine Chemistry and Geology Department: Temperature and salinity proxies of ocean thermohaline circulation and climate change: development and verification.
In order to reliably interpret the sedimentary record of temperature and salinity, we propose to couple the results from laboratory experiments and associated modeling to the seasonal productivity of two proxy families across large gradients in the salinity-temperature field of the modern ocean. Objectives are: 1) Develop empirical relationships for Mg/Ca-18O/13C incorporation into foraminiferal, coral and synthetic carbonates in contrasting salinity-temperature fields ("distribution coefficients") and determine vital effects during calcification in their depth habitat. 2) Determine and model the bio-physical processes controlling calcification depth and the temporal fluxes to the sediment of the divalent cation proxies carried by the biogenic carbonate species. 3) Determine and model the effect of early diagenesis (dissolution) and sediment burial on the divalent cation composition of biogenic carbonates under controlled field conditions. 4) Compare and integrate with organic geochemical proxies of temperature (Uk37, TEX86) and salinity (?D of alkenones) to validate the robustness of biogeochemical proxy-relationships for thermo-haline circulation and climate change.
Further information can be obtained from Dr. G.J.A. Brummer, e-mail: brummer@nioz.nl, tel: +31 222 369442.
Project 3 Marine Biogeochemistry and Toxicology Department: Recent investigations point to the tropical ocean to accommodate leading processes at the glacial-interglacial time scale as well as in abrupt climate changes.
To test this role of the tropics, we aim to investigate the tropical deglacial environmental changes in correlation with other sites on the globe. A prerequisite, hereby, is a sufficient chronostratigraphical calibration. We propose to generate well-dated environmental records for the tropical east Atlantic in high resolution (i.e. <50 yrs). We will use the isotopic composition of terrestrial and marine biomarkers that reflect the climatic changes in tropical Africa and the equatorial Atlantic Ocean respectively. For the age control, we will use compound specific 14C measurements of single source marine and land-derived organic biomarkers. The study will provide new insight in the role of the tropics in rapid climate change, the response of marine and terrestrial vegetation to changes in temperature, precipitation, atmospheric pCO2 and sea-level, and the carbon cycle e.g. with respect to apparent reservoir ages.
The project is part of the Netherlands Bremen Oceanography (NEBROC-2) partnership and is a collaboration between the department of Marine Biogeochemistry & Toxicology (Dr. S. Schouten and Prof. Dr. J.S. Sinninghe Damsté), the department of Marine Chemistry and Geology (Dr. J.H.F. Jansen) and the Marine Geology department of the University of Bremen (Dr. E. Schefuß).
Further information can be obtained from dr. S. Schouten (schouten@nioz.nl, +31 222 369565).
We offer a full-time PhD position for 4 years, with monthly salary starting at € 1813,- in the first year to € 2394,- in the last year of appointment. We also offer a pension scheme, a health insurance allowance, a yearly 8% vacation allowance, year-end bonus of 4,1 % per year and flexible employment conditions. Conditions are based on the Collective Employment Agreement of the Research Institutes.
Applications. Applicants should send an application letter, CV and reference list to the Personnel Department within 2 weeks, attended to ms. J. Bredewold, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands. Closing date: July 8th 2005 .
We have a vacancy for 3:
PhD students (m/f)
Project 1 Marine Chemistry and Geology Department: Forcing and development of carbonate mound formation along the NW European margin.
Recent discoveries of carbonate mounds covered with cold water corals and related benthic communities along the NE Atlantic Ocean continental margin at depths between 500-1100 m (for example in thePorcupine Bight and north of Porcupine Bank, southeast and southwest Rockall Trough Margin, Norwegian margin), and of actively gas venting mud volcanoes along the margin surrounding the Gulf of Cadiz (associated with authigenic carbonate formation and deep-water reef-like coral build-ups and carbonate chimneys), as well as new discoveries of fossil and recent cold water coral reef structures in the Mediterranean, raises the question of their origin and development. A major objective of the proposed studies therefore is to establish the forcing conditions and possible relationship of carbonate mound and cold coral formation and presence, and to test the hypothesis of a possible linkage between (hydrocarbon related) cold seeps and the development of carbonate mounds, cold water benthic communities and authigenic carbonate. This proposal is directed towards a definition of the geological, geochemical and oceanographical conditions and processes forcing the development of carbonate mounds and towards establishing the benthic ecology and environmental conditions of carbonate mound and cold water coral reef formation in contrasting areas of the NE Atlantic Ocean. In this project we will study carbonate mound formation in selected mound areas from the SW Rockall Through and in the Gulf of Cadiz with a wide variety of techniques (?13C and ?18O of and trace elements Sr, Mg, Ba) of the carbonate to deduce their origin. In addition, we will use biomarkers for key microbes active in the anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) to test if seepage of methane from the subsurface is important in the formation of these carbonate mounds.
Further information can be obtained from Prof. Dr. T. van Weering, e-mail: tjeerd@nioz.nl, tel: +31 222 369395.
Project 2 Marine Chemistry and Geology Department: Temperature and salinity proxies of ocean thermohaline circulation and climate change: development and verification.
In order to reliably interpret the sedimentary record of temperature and salinity, we propose to couple the results from laboratory experiments and associated modeling to the seasonal productivity of two proxy families across large gradients in the salinity-temperature field of the modern ocean. Objectives are: 1) Develop empirical relationships for Mg/Ca-18O/13C incorporation into foraminiferal, coral and synthetic carbonates in contrasting salinity-temperature fields ("distribution coefficients") and determine vital effects during calcification in their depth habitat. 2) Determine and model the bio-physical processes controlling calcification depth and the temporal fluxes to the sediment of the divalent cation proxies carried by the biogenic carbonate species. 3) Determine and model the effect of early diagenesis (dissolution) and sediment burial on the divalent cation composition of biogenic carbonates under controlled field conditions. 4) Compare and integrate with organic geochemical proxies of temperature (Uk37, TEX86) and salinity (?D of alkenones) to validate the robustness of biogeochemical proxy-relationships for thermo-haline circulation and climate change.
Further information can be obtained from Dr. G.J.A. Brummer, e-mail: brummer@nioz.nl, tel: +31 222 369442.
Project 3 Marine Biogeochemistry and Toxicology Department: Recent investigations point to the tropical ocean to accommodate leading processes at the glacial-interglacial time scale as well as in abrupt climate changes.
To test this role of the tropics, we aim to investigate the tropical deglacial environmental changes in correlation with other sites on the globe. A prerequisite, hereby, is a sufficient chronostratigraphical calibration. We propose to generate well-dated environmental records for the tropical east Atlantic in high resolution (i.e. <50 yrs). We will use the isotopic composition of terrestrial and marine biomarkers that reflect the climatic changes in tropical Africa and the equatorial Atlantic Ocean respectively. For the age control, we will use compound specific 14C measurements of single source marine and land-derived organic biomarkers. The study will provide new insight in the role of the tropics in rapid climate change, the response of marine and terrestrial vegetation to changes in temperature, precipitation, atmospheric pCO2 and sea-level, and the carbon cycle e.g. with respect to apparent reservoir ages.
The project is part of the Netherlands Bremen Oceanography (NEBROC-2) partnership and is a collaboration between the department of Marine Biogeochemistry & Toxicology (Dr. S. Schouten and Prof. Dr. J.S. Sinninghe Damsté), the department of Marine Chemistry and Geology (Dr. J.H.F. Jansen) and the Marine Geology department of the University of Bremen (Dr. E. Schefuß).
Further information can be obtained from dr. S. Schouten (schouten@nioz.nl, +31 222 369565).
We offer a full-time PhD position for 4 years, with monthly salary starting at € 1813,- in the first year to € 2394,- in the last year of appointment. We also offer a pension scheme, a health insurance allowance, a yearly 8% vacation allowance, year-end bonus of 4,1 % per year and flexible employment conditions. Conditions are based on the Collective Employment Agreement of the Research Institutes.
Applications. Applicants should send an application letter, CV and reference list to the Personnel Department within 2 weeks, attended to ms. J. Bredewold, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands. Closing date: July 8th 2005 .