Geoazur lab -- CNRS, Université Côte d'Azur, Observatoire Côte d'Azur & IRD

Homepage: https://www.geoazur.fr

Global-scale imaging of the earth’s mantle requires seismological data from around the globe. While the continents have been increasingly instrumented with digital broadband seismometers since the 1990’s, this is not the case for the oceans (two thirds of the earth’s surface), except for sparse stations on islands. This has started to change with the temporary deployment of ocean-bottom seismometers and with the development and deployment of seismo-acoustic ‘MERMAID’ floats for tomography (www.earthscopeoceans.org), where Géoazur lab has been a leader.

The primary objective of this Ph.D. project is to incorporate existing data from oceanic seismological instruments more systematically into ray-based and finite-frequency tomography models in order to improve their image resolution. Using signal processing and waveform modelling methods, we will properly account for the characteristics of the novel sensors, like the fact that they are hydrophones rather than ground-seismometers, or reflections within the water column obscuring the useful waveforms. We will also explore the scientific potential of such data in synthetic tests, for different spatial scales and geological settings.

There is latitude for the Ph.D. student to shape this project in a more technical versus a more tectonic-geodynamic direction. Due to recently increased data coverage, natural areas of application are whole-mantle imaging in the Pacific Ocean, southern Indian Ocean, and/or in the European/Mediterranean realm.

For details and how to apply:
https://doctorat.campusfrance.org/en/CF202543477