PLEASE COULD YOU BRING THE FOLLOWING PhD STUDENTSHIP OPPORTUNITY TO THE
ATTENTION OF MOTIVATED UNDERGRADUATE & MSc STUDENTS:
Applications are invited for the following fully-funded PhD project
based in The Grant Institute of Earth Sciences at The University of
Edinburgh under the auspices of ECOSSE, the newly-established
Edinburgh Collaborative of Subsurface Science and Engineering and the
BGS' British University Funding Iniatiative (BUFI) Award. The project
would especially suit a highly-motivated current or recent geology or
geophysics undergraduate or MSc student with an eye on a future career
in oil exploration or palaeoclimate research.
PhD Project Title: Controls on the Nature and Distribution of the
Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) in the Central North Sea
Edinburgh University PI/Supervisors: Professors John Underhill & Dick
Kroon (Grant Institute of Earth Science)
British Geological Survey Supervisors: Drs Michael Stephenson, Robert
Knox, Robert Gatliff, Melanie Leng and Jim Riding.
Financial Support: British Geological Survey (via their British
University Funding Initiative) and The University of Edinburgh?s
School Scholarship scheme
Project Description:
The Palaeocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM, 55.5 Ma ago) was a brief
period of extreme global warming, which was of similar magnitude in
terms of CO2 and temperature increase to that affecting the Earth at
the present day. The Central North Sea basin is a unique natural
laboratory for the study of the PETM and the large-scale basin-wide
changes brought about by its occurrence, primarily because the
sequences contained within are amongst the thickest and
stratigraphically most expanded of any PETM yet sampled worldwide.
Secondly, being a partly isolated basin during the Paleogene,
sedimentation (bed forms/geometry, mineralogy) and palynology from the
area are extremely sensitive indicators of oceanographic and
terrestrial change. Furthermore, being associated with highly
prospective petroleum reservoirs plentiful core and seismic data
(including 3D seismic volumes) are available over the interval
containing the PETM, thus provide a unique opportunity to accurately
calibrate the event at a variety of scales.
The overall objective of the PhD project is to explore the ways in
which the PETM changed terrestrial and oceanographic conditions and
how these were expressed in the seismic-stratigraphic and sedimentary
geometries displayed in the basin. The results will have implications
for understanding oceanographic and terrestrial changes in the near
future due to present global warming, as well as understanding
connectivity, lateral persistence and correlation of major hydrocarbon
reservoirs. The student will be involved in identification and
correlation of the PETM in the Central Graben using high resolution
isotopic and palynological techniques, and reconstruction of facies
architecture in and around the PETM using suites of 3D seismic and
electric log data.
The student will gain experience in stratigraphy, palaeoenvironmental
and palaeoclimatic reconstruction as well as seismic interpretation
and electric log correlation. A range of core and laboratory-based
palynological sampling and processing techniques including
taxonomic/biostratigraphic studies of PETM palynomorphs, stable
isotope studies (13C/12C) of PETM sedimentary organic matter and
well-calibrated 3D seismic interpretation will be undertaken on
Edinburgh University?s in-house dedicated workstation facility.
Training will be provided in seismic and sequence stratigraphic
methods, the use of seismic interpretation software, petroleum systems
analysis and structural interpretation. These are skills well suited
to gaining employment in academic or petroleum geological fields.
Whilst the main emphasis of the project will be on the North Sea
subsurface dataset, there may also be an opportunity to undertake
strategic fieldwork in relevant sedimentary systems during the course
of the project.
Regular liaison and reporting with the co-sponsors the BGS and the
ECOSSE partnership will take place throughout the course of the project.
Background References:
Knox, R.W.O?B. 1998. The tectonic and volcanic history of the NE
Atlantic region during the Paleocene?Eocene transition: implications
for NW European and global biotic events. In: Aubry, M.-P., Lucas, S.
& Berggren, W.A. (eds) Late Paleocene?early Eocene climatic and
biotic evolution. Columbia University Press.
Sluijs, A. 2007. Global change during the Palaeocene-Eocene thermal
maximum. LPP Contribution no. 21, PhD Thesis, University of Utrecht.
Start Date: September 2008; Completion date: August 2011
Applications containing an up-to-date CV and the names and contact
details of two academic referees, should be sent to: Ms Helena Jack,
Grant Institute of Earth Science, School of Geosciences, The
University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, West Mains Road,
Edinburgh, EH9 3JW, Scotland, U.K.
Closing Date for Applications: Friday May 30th 2008
University of Edinburgh, School of Geosciences Web Site:
http://www.geos.ed.ac.uk/
ECOSSE Web Site: http://www.erp.ac.uk/ecosse/index.html
With Thanks
Best Wishes
John
Professor John Underhill
Chair of Stratigraphy & Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE)
Work Address & Contact Details:
Grant Institute of Earth Science,
School of Geosciences,
The University of Edinburgh,
The King's Buildings,
West Mains Road,
Edinburgh,
EH9 3JW,
Scotland, U.K.
Telephone: 0131-650-8518 (direct line)
Telephone: 0131-650-1000 (switchboard)
Fax Number: 0131-668-3184
Telex: 727442 (UNIVED G)
e-mail address: [log in to unmask]
Home page: http://www.geos.ed.ac.uk/contacts/homes/jru/
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The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
Scotland, with registration number SC005336.
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