Doctoral Position in Earth Observation and Remote Sensing

The research focuses on investigating/developing generic methods and algorithms in the context of multi-modal synthetic aperture radar (SAR) for the estimation of environmental parameter over arctic regions. SAR is an active remote sensing technique for estimating a variety of surface features, as e.g. topographic heights, displacements, quantitative bio-physical parameters and has found applications in several domains of the artic region, as e.g. the monitoring of infrastructure and permafrost-related subsidence’s. Among the most rapid and dramatic changes in the artic regions are retrogressive thaw slumps (RTS). These slumps have major impacts by changing ecosystem and hydrological equilibria and furthermore impact the earth system on a global scale by reinforcing climate change with the additional mobilization of organic carbon that was previously stored in the frozen soil. Due to the remote landscape, only space-born approaches are feasible to monitor them. In recent years several new methods based on optical and radar satellite systems have been developed to detect and monitor thaw slumps on regional scales. For this doctoral research we are suggesting to investigate TanDEM-X difference digital elevation models to detect RTS on a pan-Arctic, watershed and local scale. The main data source is coming from TanDEM-X, the German Satellite mission that has acquired a huge amount of data over several years in order to get some insight of the surface processes ongoing and are waiting for their evaluation.

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• A master’s degree or a diploma in electrical engineering, geomatics engineering, geophysics, physics or a related field with a background in digital signal processing and/or image processing

• Some experience in SAR data processing or another field of array signal processing is an asset

• Strong analytical skills and programming experience in Matlab, Python, C/C++, or equivalent

• Able and/or eager to develop and implement signal-processing algorithms in such a programming language

• Fluency in English is required (oral and written)

• Willing to work in a multidisciplinary and international research team

• Hold a valid driver’s license (European Cat. B)