School of Environmental Sciences

Start Date: October 2015

Supervisor: Dr Rob Hall, robert.hall<στο>uea.ac.uk        

Scientific Rationale

Following the 2010 Deep Water Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico there is growing concern that a similar incident could occur in UK waters. One region where offshore oil exploration is pushing into deeper water is the Faroe-Shetland Channel north of Scotland. Here the shallow shelf sea drops off into the abyss, with water depth increasing from around 200 m to near 1 km over a short distance. There are many dramatic physical process that occur in the channel, including strong along-slope currents; 10s km-scale eddies that spin off the currents; subsurface (internal) waves and extreme surface waves. These processes need to be fully understood and accounted for in ocean forecast models and oil spill dispersion models. These computer models can then be used in to predict the path and decay of oil from potential deep spills in the region and to plan appropriate emergency response measures.

Research Methodology

During this project you will investigate the key processes that disperse and mix oil in the Faroe-Shetland Channel region, assess the suitability of the current response system for potential deep oil spills in the Channel, and suggest areas where model development should be focused. You will be supervised both by scientists at the Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and physical oceanographers the University of East Anglia (UEA). You will utilise traditional current and temperature/salinity measurements from oceanographic moorings; new measurements from autonomous underwater vehicles known as Seagliders; ocean forecast models in operation at the Met Office and being developed at scientific institutions; and commercial oil spill models run by Cefas.

Personal Specification

The ideal candidate will have a good physical science degree or similar (e.g., oceanography, meteorology, physics, environmental sciences, natural sciences, engineering, mathematics). Experience of computer programming (e.g., Matlab, Fortran) is an advantage. Training in physical oceanography will be provided so a background in ocean science is not required.

Funding:

This studentship is a NERC Industrial Case studentship in partnership with The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences (Cefas) funded for 4 years. An annual stipend of £13,863 will be available to the successful candidate who meets the UK Research Council eligibility criteria. These requirements are detailed in the RCUK eligibility guide which can be found athttp://www.rcuk.ac.uk/RCUK-prod/assets/documents/documents/TermsConditionsTrainingGrants.pdf. In most cases UK and EU nationals who have been ordinarily resident in the UK for 3 years prior to the start of the course are eligible for a full-award. Other EU nationals may qualify for a fees only award.