N-IR Descent Imaging of Venus for Composition, Topography, and Morphology

About the role

The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) offers unique research opportunities to highly-talented scientists to engage in ongoing NASA research projects at a NASA Center, NASA Headquarters, or at a NASA-affiliated research institute. These one- to three-year fellowships are competitive and are designed to advance NASA’s missions in space science, Earth science, aeronautics, space operations, exploration systems, and astrobiology.

Description

The DAVINCI mission to Venus will conduct multi-scale descent imaging of landscapes on Venus at scales not previously accessible in studies about Venus and its highlands (tesserae). Specifically, mission goals embrace the scientific interpretation of multiple spatial scales of band-ratio imaging in 3D context, together with digital topography at scales from < 100m to 5-10m (horizontally), and very fine scale geomorphological imaging at scales < 1.5 m per pixel of local areas in the complex ridged terrains of Venus. These science goals and imaging capabilities are multi-disciplinary in that they connect rock unit composition to landscape geomorphology for the unique tesserae “mountains” of Venus at sampling scales more typical of high-resolution satellite imaging of the Earth, Mars, or the Moon.

The selected applicant will evaluate how quantitative geomorphological investigations of local area landscape systems (including sedimentary materials and associated depositional processes) on Earth can inform Venus investigations and will develop approaches for building models that can be used to test hypotheses for Venus-relevant regions here on Earth and/or Mars. This will be done by working with analogue DEM (define) datasets from multiple regions on Earth, and the descent imaging data from Mars Curiosity and Mars Perseverance Rovers. Specific challenges to note are isotropic illumination, Rayleigh scattering-induced pixel blurring, and limited areal fields of view (FOV).

Requirements

• Experience in on or more of the following: remote sensing, generating digital elevation models (DEMs), image analysis, quantitative geomorphology, and mapping.

Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship;
• U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR);
• Foreign Nationals eligible for an Exchange Visitor J-1 visa status; and,
• Applicants for LPR, asylees, or refugees in the U.S. at the time of application with 1) a valid EAD card and 2) I-485 or I-589 forms in pending status

Skills

• Remote Sensing
• Generating Digital Elevation Models (DEMs)
• Image Analysis
• Quantitative Geomorphology
• Mapping

Benefits

• One- to three-year fellowship
• Opportunities to engage in ongoing NASA research projects
• Competitive program

Pay

• Not specified

Schedule

• Not specified

Contact Information

Erika Kohler
erika.kohler@nasa.gov
(301) 614-5756
Jim Garvin
james.b.garvin@nasa.gov
301.286.5154
Charles Malespin
charles.a.malespin@nasa.gov
301.614.6042

Application Instructions

Please visit the NASA Postdoctoral Program website for application instructions and requirements: How to Apply | NASA Postdoctoral Program (orau.org)

Additional Information

A complete application to the NASA Postdoctoral Program includes:

• Research proposal
• Three letters of recommendation
• Official doctoral transcript documents

Field of Science

Planetary Science

Advisors

• Erika Kohler
  erika.kohler@nasa.gov
  (301) 614-5756
• Jim Garvin
  james.b.garvin@nasa.gov
  301.286.5154
• Charles Malespin
  charles.a.malespin@nasa.gov
  301.614.6042

Designated Countries

Designated Countries can be found at: https://www.nasa.gov/oiir/export-control

Eligibility

• U.S. Citizens;
• U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR);
• Foreign Nationals eligible for an Exchange Visitor J-1 visa status; and,
• Applicants for LPR, asylees, or refugees in the U.S. at the time of application with 1) a valid EAD card and 2) I-485 or I-589 forms in pending status

Questions

Questions about this opportunity? Please email npp@orau.org