UK : PhD project in Space and Solar Plasma Physics

Queen Mary, University of London Applications are invited for a SEPnet funded (South-East Physics network,http://www.sepnet.ac.uk/) PhD Studentship within the Astronomy Unit, School of Mathematical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). The project is related to exciting, major unsolved problems of solar physics such as coronal heating http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/science/mysteries_l1/corona.html and solar flare dynamics. Type III radio bursts are believed to come from solar flare electrons that travel upwards, away from the Sun, on open magnetic field lines. The proposed work aims to fill the gap in understanding how the upwards moving electrons are accelerated and produce the observed radio emission. This will be achieved through kinetic-scale modelling of the phenomenon and numerical simulation results will be compared with radio and other wavelength observations. The project benefits from access to large-scale parallel 1000 core processor cluster via UKMHD consortium, while the radio data will be available via participation of QMUL in LOFAR-UK and SEPnet Astro consortia (http://astro.kent.ac.uk/SEPNET/). The LOw Frequency ARray, LOFAR (http://www.lofar-uk.org/), is a next-generation software-driven telescope currently under construction in the Netherlands and UK. Dr David Tsiklauri, Senior Lecturer at Astronomy Unit, QMUL will be the PhD project supervisor, while Dr Aris Karastergiou, Astrophysics, Oxford University, will act in a co-supervisory capacity. Applicants should have a good Honours degree in Physics or Applied Mathematics (at least 2:1 or equivalent) or a lower second class plus a Master's (MPhys) qualification. Programming experience in any high level language is highly desirable. Candidates will receive full fees and tax free stipend of circa £13,000 per annum for three years. Candidates should send their CV and names (with contact details) of two referees by Email to: D.Tsiklauri@qmul.ac.uk The applications should be submitted as soon as possible, but no later than 15 January 2010. Starting date will be soon after the deadline and is negotiable. For further information, please visit URL links below: Dr David Tsiklauri's webpage http://www.maths.qmul.ac.uk/~tsiklauri/ Astronomy Unit http://www.maths.qmul.ac.uk/Astronomy/ Queen Mary University of London http://www.qmul.ac.uk/ Funding Notes: In addition to UK and EU students, non-UK or non-EU ones (worldwide) are also eligible to receive tuition fee waiver and a full stipend