The oceanic response to the North Atlantic Oscillation

In the frame of the EU FP6 project DYNAMITE (Understanding the DYNAMIcs of the Coupled ClimaTE System , see http://dynamite.nersc.no), LOCEAN/IPSL is opening a postdoctoral position.

Deeper understanding of the intrinsic variability and stability properties of the main climate variability modes is needed to assess confidence in the detection, attribution and prediction of climate change, to improve seasonal predictions, and to understand the shortcomings of current prediction systems. DYNAMITE will explore the fundamental dynamical mechanisms of two of the most important modes of climate variability: the North Atlantic Oscillation/Arctic Oscillation (NAO/AO) and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO).

The postdoctoral work will be to contribute to our understanding of the processes that determine the response of the large-scale circulation of the North Atlantic Ocean, both its horizontal gyre component and its meridional overturning component, to variations in the NAO. The Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC) makes a major contribution to the northward heat transport of the Atlantic Ocean, and it is thought that variations in the MOC on decadal timescales can modulate climate. MOC variations are driven partly by variations in wind-stress and partly by anomalous buoyancy fluxes, especially over the high latitude regions of deep oceanic convection. LOCEAN participates in coordinated experiments in which coupled ocean/sea-ice GCMs are forced with idealised surface wind stress and flux fields representative of NAO variability. The post doc will investigate the coupled ocean-sea ice processes that govern the formation of salinity anomalies in the arctic, the influence of the NAO on deep convection in the North Atlantic, and their subsequent impact on the MOC. The changes in the northward flux of warm and salty Atlantic surface water, and their back interaction on the formation of deep water will also be analysed.

The position will be hosted by LOCEAN, University Pierre and Marie Curie (Paris VI) (see http://lodyc.jussieu.fr/), which is part of the Institut Pierre Simon Laplace (IPSL). Candidates should have a Ph.D in ocean or / and atmosphere dynamics, and /or research interests and experience in any aspect of large-scale ocean dynamics or ocean modelling.

The position could be opened on October 1, and will end in February 2008. Salary will depend on qualification and follow CNRS scales.

Applicants should submit a CV, a description of research interests, and the names and e-mail of three references to Prof. Claude Frankignoul ( Этот адрес e-mail защищен от спам-ботов. Чтобы увидеть его, у Вас должен быть включен Java-Script )

For more information, contact:

Prof. Claude Frankignoul

LOCEAN, case 100, Université Paris 6, Tour 45-55, 4è étage

4, Place Jussieu 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France

tel 33(0)144272732 fax 33(0)144273805