[IGSMAIL-5310]: 2 one-year post-doc positions available at the Royal Observatory of Belgium for a research project on Galileo

[René Warnant]

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IGS Electronic Mail      22 Feb 06:18:10 PST 2006      Message Number 5310
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Author : R. Warnant

Dear Colleagues,


The Royal Observatory of Belgium (ROB) opens 2 one-year post-doc positions
for a research project on Galileo called GALOCAD.


Background


Since the sixties, the Royal Observatory of Belgium
(http://www.observatoire.be) is involved in international research programs
based on space geodetic techniques. In 1988, the ROB started a research
program dedicated to the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) for
applications in Geodesy and in Geophysics. The use of GPS for high accuracy
applications requires a careful modelling of all the error sources which can
affect positions measured using GPS, in particular, atmospheric errors. This
is the reason why a research project called "Effects of the Earth Atmosphere
in Space Geodesy" has been created at ROB at the beginning of the nineties.
The goal of this project is to assess and to mitigate atmospheric
(tropospheric and ionospheric) effects on GNSS applications
(http://www.gpsatm.oma.be). At the present time, a team of 5 scientist's and
1 technician is working on these topics.

In 2004, the Royal Observatory of Belgium has submitted a proposal called
GALOCAD in reply to Galileo Joint Undertaking call 2423. This proposal has
been recently selected.

GALOCAD stands for "Development of a Galileo Local Component for the
nowcasting and forecasting of atmospheric disturbances affecting the
integrity of high precision Galileo applications".

The GALOCAD project

At the present time, atmospheric variability due to the presence of
small-scale structures in the neutral atmosphere water vapour or in the
ionosphere Total Electron Content (TEC) can strongly affect the reliability
of GNSS high accuracy real time applications. The concepts of reliability
and integrity play a crucial role in the development of Galileo.
Small-scale structures in water vapour and in TEC can be monitored using
GNSS measurements. Nevertheless, up to now, the "density" of available GNSS
stations in Europe was not sufficient to make a detailed study of the "local
behaviour" of these atmospheric (ionospheric and tropospheric) structures.
Since the end of 2003, Belgium is equipped with a network of 67 permanent
GPS stations. The typical distance between the stations ranges from 7 to 25
km. The goal of our project is to use these data to perform a detailed study
of atmospheric small-scale structures, to build a model of such
representative small-scale activity, and to assess the influence of these
structures on the reliability of Galileo precise positioning applications.
In addition, the project will study the correlation which exists between
small-scale ionospheric activity and geophysical parameters (like the local
geomagnetic K index): the existence of a such correlation between
small-scale structures and local K would allow to forecast the occurrence of
degraded positioning conditions a few hours in advance based on K forecasts.
The objective is to use the results of these investigations to develop and
validate a prototype Galileo Local Component for the nowcasting and the
forecasting of the effect of atmospheric disturbances on the integrity high
precision Galileo applications.

The project will start between June 01 and July 01 2006.

Profile

The ROB is looking for applicants having the following profiles :

General profile :

- Ph. D. in GNSS or in ionosphere physics or equivalent experience
(to be demonstrated by relevant publications)
- speaking English fluently.
- able to write technical reports in  English.
- extended experience in programming (in the frame of scientific
applications)
- experience in data analysis, in particular, in statistical analysis
of large amounts of data

Added value :

- experience in the mitigation of ionospheric or tropospheric effects
affecting GNSS
- experience with the Bernese software
- experience in GNSS data processing for (real-time) high accuracy
positioning (Real Time Kinematics, .)
- experience in real time ambiguity resolution (OTF, Lambda, .)
- experience in GNSS data processing for the reconstruction of
ionospheric parameters (TEC) or tropospheric parameters (ZTD)
- experience in ionosphere physics or in meteorology

To apply for these positions, send a motivation letter and a full CV as soon
as possible and before April 15 to :

Prof. Reni Warnant
Royal Observatory of Belgium
Avenue Circulaire, 3
B-1180  Brussels
Belgium
e-mail : R.Warnant at oma.be
Tel: +32-2-373 02 51

The CV (in English or French) will contain at least :

- the candidate's full coordinates
- the diplomas obtained
- a publication list in 4 categories : peer-reviewed in international
journals, proceedings of international meetings, technical reports, others.
- a list of presentations in international meetings
- a list a present and past scientific activities (with reference to
the publication list)
- a list of the different positions (jobs) since the beginning of the
scientific career

The motivation letter (in English) will explain in how far the candidate
scientific activities fits the requested profile (with reference to
publications) and a list (including full coordinates) of at least 2 referees
(from 2 different Institutions) who can give an advice on the candidate.

Please, could you forward this mail to the people who could be interested by
this position ?
Thanks in advance.

R. Warnant

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  Prof. Reni WARNANT                Tel: +32-2-373 02 51
  Royal Observatory of Belgium      Fax: +32-2-374 98 22
  Avenue Circulaire, 3
  B-1180 BRUSSELS
  Belgium

  e-mail: R.Warnant at oma.be
  http://www.gpsatm.oma.be/
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