FUNCTION DESCRIPTION

Antarctic mass loss is the largest source of uncertainty in current sea level rise projections. Although great progress has been made in our understanding of the complex processes driving current mass loss since the advent of satellite observations, the long-term perspective of the response of the ice sheet to climate change remains illusive. In this project, you will unlock the potential of a vast archive of aerial photographs, obtained by the U.S. Navy since the 1940s, along ten thousands of kilometers spanning the Antarctic continent. Using Structure from Motion photogrammetry - combined with recent developments in high performance computing and image pattern recognition - you will derive digital elevation models of the Antarctic Peninsula, dating back more than five decades. These will be compared to present-day elevation data, for example from satellite stereophotogrammetry and altimetry (ICESat-2), to obtain a detailed picture of elevation and mass changes over the past 50 years.
Your work will provide a unique insight into the long-term impact of changing climate conditions on Antarctica’s glaciers, and their dynamical response to climatice forcings, and ice shelf weakening and disintegration. This provides essential validation data for ice modelling efforts, thereby contributing to reducing the uncertainties in future sea level rise scenarios.
You will collaborate with Bert Wouters and Roderik Lindenberg, both experts in remote sensing of the cryosphere. As part of the Cryosphere Group within the Department of Geoscience and Remote Sensing at TU Delft, you will join a dynamic team of postdocs, PhDs, and research partners from across Europe. In addition to an engaging research project and a supportive, stimulating work environment, generous funding is available to support scientific travel. We aim to start the project in mid-May 2025, with an initial duration through January 2026 (inclusive), and potential for extension depending on available funding.

FUNCTION REQUIREMENTS

We are looking for a motivated researcher with a PhD (or near completion) in Geodesy, Photogrammetry, Aerospace Engineering, Digital Image Processing, or a related field. You should have strong programming skills and demonstrated experience in developing data processing algorithms. Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, are essential, along with the ability to work independently and critically evaluate your own results. A high level of proficiency in English is required.
Additional experience in photogrammetry and/or remote sensing of ice sheets and glaciers is highly desirable, as is a solid background and interest in glaciology. Familiarity with machine learning, image pattern recognition, and working with large datasets—particularly using parallel, high-performance, or cloud computing environments—will be considered a strong advantage.

Please refer the Job description for details