Date

For further information on this announcement and other UCAR Visiting
Scientist Programs, call 303/497-8649 or send e-mail to vsp [at] ucar.edu.
Send application materials to: UCAR Visiting Scientist Programs,
PO Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307-3000 USA. An on-line application system
is located on the Internet at http://www.vsp.ucar.edu.

Additional information about the National Ice Center (NIC) is available
at http://www.natice.noaa.gov. Information about the University Corporation
for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) is available at http://www.ucar.edu/ucar/.


Visiting Scientist Appointments at the National Ice Center

The National Ice Center (NIC) has teamed with the University Corporation
for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) to provide two visiting scientist
appointments in the recently established Science and Information
Services Department at NIC. This group is responsible for maintaining a
strategic vision for NIC operations, recommending appropriate
operational and scientific investments and improved concepts for
operational processes that support the long-range goals of the NIC,
consistent with known customer requirements.

This multi-agency visitor program is sponsored by ONR, NOAA, and NASA
and is managed through the UCAR Visiting Scientist Programs. These
exciting positions offer the opportunity to conduct
applications-oriented research of relevance to the NIC ice-monitoring
mission. The NIC has state-of-the-art computing facilities and
unparalleled access to global real-time satellite data sets.

In the first position, the incumbent will lead a project to rapidly
transition ice products constructed from the NASA QuikSCAT satellite
using emerging algorithms and resolution enhancement techniques. Working
with the NIC Science team and the broader polar community, the incumbent
will develop and investigate innovative sea ice products using QuikSCAT
SeaWinds data and evaluate these products for possible assimilation into
a coupled ice-ocean model. Also of interest is research to develop an
understanding of the differences between passive microwave and
scatterometer data and investigation of schemes for intelligent fusion
of the two data streams. The incumbent will participate in validation of
newly developed algorithms.

In the second position, the incumbent will collaborate in an existing
project with the Technical University of Denmark to develop, validate,
and transition to operations a frazil-/pancake-model suitable for use by
the NIC in the marginal ice zone. This model is for the dynamics and
thermodynamics of sea ice on scales of 20 km and 1 day and assimilates
data from existing satellite sensors. Upon delivery of this model to the
NIC, the incumbent will test the model in an operational setting, making
changes and calibrations to the model for use in areas of special
interest to the NIC.

The overall mission of the NIC, located just outside Washington, DC in
Suitland, Maryland is to provide assessments and predictions of global
ice conditions based primarily on remotely sensed data. The NIC web page
http://www.natice.noaa.gov illustrates some NIC products. Currently,
satellite data are analyzed in a UNIX workstation environment. Image
processing and geographic information system software are used to
assemble the ice product suite. The NIC Science Unit is responsible for
outlining how the NIC can improve products for both the science and
operational communities and how the science community can make
algorithms, models, and interpretation guides for implementation at the
NIC. Unique resources at the NIC include a digital archive of satellite
imagery which increases at the rate of gigabytes per day. Examples of
prior science/operations cooperative projects at the NIC include the
development of a data-fusion technique for optimizing the SSM/I sea ice
product, the development of automated ice classification systems for
synthetic aperture radar, and the production of a multi-year ice
climatology in conjunction with the National Climatic Data Center and
the National Snow and Ice Data Center.

The program offers up to a three-year visiting research appointment,
reviewed annually. Qualified applicants will have a strong background in
remote sensing, ice modeling, or ice physics research. Scientists are
encouraged to apply by sending the following materials to UCAR Visiting
Scientist Programs:

  • A cover letter stating the specific name of this program; this letter
    should include a general statement of research interests and how these
    relate to the specific activities at the NIC.
  • Curriculum Vitae with list of publications.
  • Names and contact information of four professional references. It is
    the applicants responsibility to request that the reference letters be
    sent to UCAR/VSP by the application deadline.
  • A one- or two-page detailed outline of proposed work.

Fellowship awards will be announced in late summer to early fall 2000;
review of application materials will begin on 15 July 2000. The position
will remain open until filled.

Send application materials to:

UCAR Visiting Scientist Programs
PO Box 3000
Boulder, CO 80307-3000 USA

For further information on this and other UCAR Visiting Scientist
Programs, call 303-497-8649 or send e-mail to vsp [at] ucar.edu. An on-line
application system is located on the Internet at:
http://www.vsp.ucar.edu.

UCAR is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.