PhD student in Experimental Studies at DESIREE of Mutual Neutralisation Reactions relevant to Planetary Atmospheres
Ref. No. SU FV-1128-18 at the Department of Physics. Closing date: 24 April 2018.
The Department of Physics is located in the AlbaNova University Center and has approximately 240 employees, 250 students at undergraduate level and 90 graduate students. There are four research subjects within the postgraduate program: Physics, Theoretical Physics, Chemical Physics and Medical Radiation Physics. These subjects span over several research groups with different research activities. For information about the Department of Physics, see: www.fysik.su.se/english.
Project description
Subject: Physics or
Chemical Physics.
Charge-, energy-, and mass transfer processes are fundamental
in nature. They
are important in essentially all chemical reactions, and it is
critically
important to understand the mechanisms that underlie these
types of reactions
and to know their rates. Such work has been severely hampered
by difficulties
to isolate atomic or molecular ions in single quantum states
or to study
collisions with molecules with many internal degrees of
freedom. At DESIREE (www.desiree-infrastructure.com),
a new and unique experimental facility located at Stockholm
University,
cutting-edge techniques are now available allowing studies of
quantum-state
resolved reactions with atomic and small molecular ions, and
reactions with
internally cold complex molecular ions. We will control
internal ion excitation
energies and collision energies from the meV to the keV range
to mimic
reactions in planetary atmospheres, shock waves, and
combustion plasmas.
This project will undertake
studies to
support recently identified promising areas of research into
atomic and
molecular plasmas.
Air-plasmas related to both
laser-ignition and plasma-assisted combustion.
A recently demonstrated technique of laser-induced ignition
for an aircraft
combustion system has attracted funding with the aim of both
optimising and
modelling the ignition process. However, modelling of the
phenomena leading to
avalanche and breakdown has so far proven to be a considerable
challenge due to
the unknown effects from oxygen anions, e.g. O2- and O-,
during the avalanche
phase. Data on the critical air ionization chemistry involving
such oxygen
ions, e.g. ionisation reducing processes like MN with the
dominant cations, O+,
NO+, etc, must be obtained and characterised if the chemistry
of the
pre-ionization processes are to be understood.
The successful candidate will undertake research conducted primarily using the DESIREE facility, a newly designated Swedish National Infrastructure Facility, and although predominantly experimental in nature, the project also involves using theoretical models of the mutual neutralisation reaction to model the experimental observations.
We would also like to make students aware of the possibility to apply to the open positions within any field of Experimental or Theoretical Physics, advertised by the Physics Department (reference number SU FV-1101-18 and SU FV-1102-18 respectively).
Education at the
research level
A PhD education at Stockholm University is four years (48
months). The 4-year
PhD program includes at least 3 years of research and at most
one year of
course work. The position may be extended by up to one year if
up to 20 %
teaching assistance or administration is included in the
contract. The PhD
student is employed (“doktorandanställning”) during the
studies, with a monthly
salary starting at SEK 25 300.
Qualification
requirements
In order to meet the
general
entry requirements, the applicant must have completed a
second-cycle
degree, completed courses equivalent to at least 240 higher
education credits,
of which 60 credits must be in the second cycle, or have
otherwise acquired
equivalent knowledge in Sweden or elsewhere. In order to be
accepted as a PhD
student in Physics or Theoretical Physics a BSc in Physics (or
equivalent) is
required. The studies must include 60 credits of second-cycle
courses in
physics out of which at least 15 credits correspond to a
second-cycle degree
project. The degree project does not have to have been
examined at the
application deadline, but work corresponding to half a
semester of full-time
studies should have been devoted to it. For the subject
Chemical Physics
courses in chemistry may replace the required physics courses.
The
qualification requirements must be met by the deadline for
applications.
Selection
The selection among
the eligible
candidates will be based on their capacity to benefit from the
training. The
successful applicant will be selected based on documented
theoretical and
experimental knowledge relevant for the area of study,
knowledge of scientific
theory and method, analytical skills, personal motivation and
team working
skills. Well-developed English language skills are required.
The applicants are
encouraged to provide supporting documents that substantiate
qualifications,
e.g., knowledge, skills, abilities and experience. References
and interviews
will be used to assess qualifications of the applicants. We
seek a
self-motivated candidate with good analytical abilities and
skilled in English.
Admission Regulations for Doctoral Studies at Stockholm University are available at: www.su.se/rules.
Terms of employment
Only a person who
will be or has
already been admitted to a third-cycle programme may be
appointed to a doctoral
studentship. The term of the initial contract may not exceed
one year. The
employment may be extended for a maximum of two years at a
time. However, the
total period of employment may not exceed the equivalent of
four years of
full-time study. Doctoral students should primarily devote
themselves to their
own education, but may engage in teaching, research, and
administration
corresponding to a maximum of 20 % of a full-time position.
Please note that
admission decisions cannot be appealed. Stockholm University
strives to be a
workplace free from discrimination and with equal
opportunities for all.
Contact
For more information, please contact Ass. Prof. Richard
Thomas, [log in to unmask].
Further information about the position can be obtained from
Prof. Per-Erik
Tegnér, [log in to unmask].
Union representatives
Ingrid Lander
(Saco-S), telephone: +46 708 16 26 64, [log in to unmask],
and Lisbeth
Häggberg (Fackförbundet ST and Lärarförbundet), telephone: +46
8 16 20 00
(operator), [log in to unmask]
(SEKO), and PhD student representative, [log in to unmask].
Application
Apply for the PhD student position at Stockholm University's
recruitment
system by clicking the "Apply" button. It is the
responsibility of
the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in
accordance with the
instructions in the advertisement, and that it is submitted
before the
deadline.Please include the following information with your
application
and, in addition, please include the following documents
The instructions for applicants are available at: Instructions – Applicants.
You are welcome to
apply!
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