PhD: Continuum Emission in the Auroral Ionosphere
The University Centre in Svalbard
About UNIS
UNIS is the world’s northernmost educational institution, located in Longyearbyen. UNIS has technical and scientific equipment, laboratories, and infrastructure for teaching and research in Arctic natural sciences and technology related to the sea, land, and atmosphere.
The fields of study include Arctic biology, geophysics, geology, technology, and safety. All teaching is conducted in English, and approximately half of the staff and students come from abroad. UNIS is a state-owned company, and the administrative language is Norwegian.
About the Department
The Department of Arctic Geophysics at UNIS is seeking candidates for a full-time, four-year PhD position in space physics. Currently, the department consists of:
- 5 professors
- 3 associate professors
- 2 researchers
- 4 PhD students
- 2 technicians
- 8 Adjunct Professors
The research within the department is focused on two groups: sea-ice-snow-air processes and Space Physics. The Space Physics group operates a world-class optical auroral observatory, the Kjell Henriksen Observatory, which is located 30 minutes’ drive from UNIS.
As part of our team, you will have the opportunity to experience the spectacular Svalbard, with Longyearbyen as your workplace. Longyearbyen is a modern settlement with approximately 2,500 inhabitants, situated in wild and beautiful Arctic nature, offering great opportunities for outdoor activities, experiences, and a vibrant cultural life.
Homepage: https://www.unis.no/
The position is a full-time four-year PhD student position. The four-year contract includes a year of required duties. Alternatively, the candidate may choose a three-year position which excludes these duties. Applications are also open to this year’s master’s candidates, with the requirement that the master’s degree must be completed by July 1st, 2025. The desired start date is during August, and no later than September 1st.
The project Understanding the role of continuum emission in the auroral ionosphere aims to advance our understanding of the newly discovered broadband auroral emission, called continuum emission. Unlike the most commonly seen green and red light where only a very narrow spectral band is enhanced, the continuum emission enhancement includes the whole visible wavelength range. It looks white/grey/orange in the full-color images (similar to the STEVE arc in the sub-auroral region), and simultaneous radar and interferometer measurements have shown strong thermosphere heating of both plasma and neutrals associated with it. This project will expand our knowledge by searching and analyzing more optical, radar and satellite observations of these high-latitude continuum emission events to characterize the ionospheric conditions and thermosphere heating required to produce the broadband emission, as well as modelling
the auroral emissions based on the observed properties of precipitating particle input to see, which atmospheric species are most likely to be responsible for the observed emission.
Interested in adventure and aurora?
We are employing two PhD students at the University Centre in Svalbard. One to research a newly discovered auroral emission and another to dive deeper into our understanding of auroral intensities. If you – or anyone you know – would like to live in the world’s northernmost town and use our world-class auroral observatory, then please check out the job adverts:
- PHD1: Continuum Emissions – Apply here
- PHD2: Auroral Intensities – Apply here
Please spread the word to anyone you think might be interested and get in touch (katieh@unis.no and/or noorap@unis.no) if you have any questions.
Deadline: 25 April 2025