Solar System Exploration: Radiative Transfer Modeling of Infrared Spectra for Planetary Atmospheres

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

Radiative transfer modeling of infrared observations of the planets and their satellites from spacecraft, balloons, and ground-based telescopes yield information on the thermal structure and composition of the atmospheres, as well as composition and temperatures of surfaces. For example, infrared spectra returned from the Voyager 1 and 2 IRIS and Cassini CIRS instruments at the outer planets, and the Mars Global Surveyor TES and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter CRISM instruments at Mars have allowed for the retrieval of atmospheric temperatures, gas abundances, aerosol composition, optical depth and physical properties. The objective of this task is the development of radiative transfer models and retrieval algorithms to quantitatively characterize the state of planetary atmospheres.

Location

Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland

Field of Science

Planetary Science

Advisors

• Conor Nixon
  conor.a.nixon@nasa.gov
  301-286-6757
• Gordon L. Bjoraker
  Gordon.L.Bjoraker@nasa.gov
  301-286-3139
• Michael D. Smith
  Michael.D.Smith@nasa.gov
  301-286-7495
• Alain Khayat
  Alain.Khayat@nasa.gov
  301-614-5420

Application Requirements

• A complete application to the NASA Postdoctoral Program includes:

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

Contact Information

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

Eligibility

• U.S. Citizens
• U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR)
• Foreign Nationals eligible for an Exchange Visitor J-1 visa status
• 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

Designated Countries

Applications with citizens from Designated Countries will not be accepted at this time, unless they are Legal Permanent Residents of the United States. A complete list of Designated Countries can be found at: https://www.nasa.gov/oiir/export-control.