The Department of Applied Physics at Eindhoven University of Technology has 15 professorial chairs with about 65 academic and 60 technical specialists, as well as 110 graduate and 375 undergraduate students. The leading research themes cover functional materials, transport physics, and plasma physics and radiation technology. The department has extensive national and international partnerships, including industrial partners. It participates in several national (top) research schools, and in two national top technology institutes: Dutch Polymer Institute (DPI) and Materials Innovation Institute (M2i). Eindhoven University of Technology is one of the three participants in the Dutch 3TU Federation of Universities of Technology.

The project aims to solve a long-standing problem in boundary layer meteorology: to find the physical mechanism that drives intermittent (discontinuous) turbulence in the atmospheric nocturnal boundary layer. During intermittency, periods with ‘laminar’ flow are interrupted by chaotic bursts of turbulence and a significant transport of heat, moisture and momentum occurs. Bursts also act as an efficient ‘venting’-mechanism of pollutants that usually accumulate in quiet periods. The problem is highly relevant in weather and climate prediction and for air pollution problems. Current nocturnal boundary layer parameterizations are highly empirical and lead to significant errors in weather and climate predictions, especially in arctic regions.

The candidate will perform numerical simulations of stably stratified channel flows (with a Direct Numerical Simulation model). Different numerical experiments will be set up. The aim is to start with simplified studies and then increase the complexity of the simulations as to mimic atmospheric flows. Thus we start from non-interactive surface boundary conditions towards simulations that mimic (rudimentary) atmosphere-vegetation interactions. The outcome of the simulations will be used to develop a theoretical framework to predict this intermittence character of turbulence (using hydrodynamic stability analysis). Finally, results will be compared with readily available observations that were obtained in the outside atmospheric nocturnal boundary layer.

Requirements recent or impending MSc-degree in Physics, Mathematics, Meteorology or Mechanical Engineering with a special focus on fluid mechanical topics. Experience with numerical flow simulation (LES, or DNS) is a clear advantage. Finally, the candidate should have some interest in geophysical flows and be willing to follow courses on this topic if necessary.

Application Deadline 30-09-2010

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