Postdoctoral Fellows: Stability of Clathrates Hydrates in Planetary Conditions: Applications to Icy Moons
The Laboratory of Plantetology and Geodynamics of CNRS/University of Nantes, France, invites applications for one postdoctoral position in the field of experimental synthesis of clathrate hydrate for planetological applications. The proposed work is part of the NASA Astrobiology Institute Project 08-NAI5-0021 (Astrobiology of Icy Worlds: Habitability, Survivability, and Detectability) and is funded by the University of Nantes.
The two objectives of the postdoctoral researcher are:
* to study experimentally the stability of methane clathrate hydrate in aqueous melts under various conditions of pressure and temperature within the range of the icy moons mantles. The influence of ammonia and salts will be explored.
* to investigate the binary system H2O-CO2 in order to constrain the effect of pressure (depth) on both the clathrate stability and the solvus evolution.
The appointment period is initially for one year, but a renewal can be envisaged based on satisfactory progress. The salary is competitive. Successful applicants should have a strong background in one or more of the following: lab synthesis of icy materials, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, HP experiments, thermodynamics. Programming experience is also desirable. A description of our current research group can be found at:
http://www.sciences.univ-nantes.fr/geol/WEBUMR6112/page/SatellitedeGlace.htm (in french)
Only self-motivated and energetic candidates are encouraged to apply; please send a letter of interest, two letters of recommendation, CV, and publication list to Olivier Grasset by email in pdf format ([email protected]) or by regular mail (LPGNantes, 2, rue de la Houssiniere, BP 92208, 44322 Nantes cedex 03, France). Please also contact Olivier Grasset for any additional details regarding the research project or the applications. [Source: NAI]
