Studying atmospheric ammonia and nitrogen deposition through model development and satellite data integration
Title
Studying atmospheric ammonia and nitrogen deposition through model development and satellite data integration
Research area and project description
Do you take interest in atmospheric processes and how agriculture affects air pollution and biodiversity? And would you like to explore how science can contribute to the development of sustainable production of food without polluting the environment? Then you may be the PhD candidate we are looking for!
The green transition towards more sustainable land use practices in Europe is the main focal point of substantial research activities. New Earth observation data in large quantities become available at a fast pace, but data availability alone is not sufficient to enable sustainable transitions. The data must also be transformed by researchers to ensure relevance and creation of sufficient value to the end user. One of the aims of the Horizon Europe funded project GreenEO is to support this transition with respect to a sustainable agriculture and its impacts on pollution and biodiversity through integration of new Earth observations, and advancements in nitrogen deposition modelling across Europe.
This PhD will explore the possibilities for improving the knowledge base for science-derived decisions for transition of the agricultural sector, taking impacts on biodiversity into account. More specifically this PhD will explore the possibilities of implementing satellite-derived high-resolution ammonia and nitrogen dioxide emissions and satellite-derived land surface variables in a regional scale air pollution model and investigate if these data can lead to improved modelled estimates of nitrogen deposition.
Dry deposition of ammonia is a parameterised process in air pollution models, and the possibilities of developing and implementing new parameterisations combined with the available high-resolution data will also be an important part of the work.
A critical part of the project is in collaboration with the GreenEO team at ENVS to deliver nitrogen deposition results for Denmark and Europe with the updated methodology and data. The research will be conducted in regi of the GreenEO project (which ends by February 2029 according to the contract) using the Danish Eulerian Hemispheric Model (DEHM) and the selected candidate will be joining the Department of Environmental Science group for Atmospheric Modelling in Roskilde (main supervisor: Camilla Geels) with the possibility of exchange stays at relevant project partners.
Project description
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Qualifications and specific competences
Applicants to the PhD position must have a relevant MSc degree in environmental science, physics, computer science or other disciplines with relevant specialization.
It is an advantage to have experience with: programming in Fortran or similar languages, processing of large datasets in e.g. Python or R; knowledge of statistics; machine learning/AI; remote sensing, but it is not a requirement, as training will be provided. We do, however, expect that you are motivated to acquire and develop strong computational and analytical skills.
Additional requirements include fluency in English, strong oral and written communication skills, as well as the ability to work both independently and within an international academic environment.
We expect that you are motivated to contribute to the scientific field of environmental impacts of air pollution and sustainable development of human activities. In return, we provide an international research environment at AU. Here you will be an integral part of an inclusive, social and multidisciplinary group of ~25 scientists, fostering a variety of local and international collaborations.
Place of employment and place of work
The place of employment is Aarhus University, and the place of work is Department of Environmental Science, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
Contacts
Applicants seeking further information regarding the PhD position are invited to contact:
- Camilla Geels, cag@envs.au.dk (main supervisor)
- Lise Marie Frohn Rasmussen, lmf@envs.au.dk (co-supervisor)
For information about application requirements and mandatory attachments, please see our application guide. If answers cannot be found there, please contact:
How to apply
Please follow this link to submit your application.
Application deadline is 01 December 2025 at 23:59 CET.
Preferred starting date is 01 February 2026.
Please note:
- Only documents received prior to the application deadline will be evaluated. Thus, documents sent after deadline will not be taken into account.
- The programme committee may request further information or invite the applicant to attend an interview.
- Shortlisting will be used, which means that the evaluation committee only will evaluate the most relevant applications.
Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply, regardless of their personal background. Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with applicable collective agreement.
Please note in your application that you found the job at Jobindex
