Organisation
Aalto University
Description
Water balance is a critical aspect of agriculture. In irrigated fields, it is important to know when and how much additional water is required. In fields without irrigation, knowing the water balance within the field is a critical aspect for estimating within-field growth potential. That in turn is an important source of data when planning future field operations. The agricultural water system is also affected by and affects the behavior of surface and groundwater in the vicinity. However, accurate measuring of this whole system is challenging, and therefore accurate and timely modeling of the water both within fields and in the immediate vicinity can provide immense help in assessing the situation. Precise and accurate models of agricultural fields, including the soil up to several meters in depth, can therefore help in managing the farm, and thus contribute to smart farming and improve the eco-friendliness of farms.
PhD project description
The doctoral researcher tackling this topic will focus on agricultural hydrology and investigate the means for high-resolution spatial modeling of water balance in agricultural fields and their immediate vicinity. The PhD project aims to apply/develop geospatial methods (GIS) and hydrological modeling to provide detailed-level information about the water balance based on smart sensor data from Natural Resources Institute Finland, as well as different open geospatial datasets (e.g. Earth Observation data) that will be used to predict the water balance for larger areas. An important application area for the field models will be within-field water balance, as well as the interaction of the water within the field and the water in the immediate surroundings. The results of the project can provide valuable input for smart farming and managing the ecological impacts of agriculture, and can ultimately lead into the development of a digital twin for specific irrigated fields in Finland.
Link to DIWA Research theme
Tasks 1.2, 1.3, 3.1, 3.2
Link to PhD pilot Key research area
4) Agricultural water system, observations, and management.
Specific requirements
The position requires good skills in GIS, spatial analysis, programming, as well as hydrological modeling, and the ability to develop and assess models based on the available data. In addition, an understanding of agriculture is beneficial for the position. We invite applicants with a relevant study background from disciplines, such as water management/engineering, geoinformatics, hydrogeography, agricultural sciences, data science, or a similar field.
Secondment
Links with Luke Maaninka and other Luke agricultural field research infrastructures
Dept./Faculty to which the thesis belongs
Geoinformatics / Department of Built Environment / School of Engineering / Aalto University
Principal supervisor
Prof. Henrikki Tenkanen
2nd supervisor
Dr. Jussi Nikander
3rd supervisor
–
Secondment host
–
More information & application
In English: https://www.aalto.fi/en/open-positions/doctoral-researchers-in-the-digital-waters-diwa-doctoral-pilot-0
