PhD: Does it rain on other planets?

About the project

The ability to accurately simulate weather cycles other than Earth’s water cycle is essential for understanding the climate of other planets, such as exoplanets. Our current observations of Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, make it an excellent case for validating our current 3D planetary climate models.

Titan, has a thick atmosphere mostly composed of nitrogen (>97%) and methane (<3%). Methane exists in Titan’s environment in solid, vapour, and liquid forms, and it rains in lakes and seas. The methane cycle on Titan resembles Earth’s water cycle, making it an important subject for studying weather patterns in climate models. Despite its similarity to Earth’s water cycle, Titan does not have large amounts of methane at its surface, unlike water oceans on Earth.

You will use a cutting-edge computational model of planetary climates (OASIS) to create 3D simulations of Titan that go beyond the current state of the art. You will have access to high-performance computing facilities, opportunities to engage in international collaborations, visits to other research groups abroad, and to acquire new skills in modern high-performance computing techniques for simulating the fundamental physics of planetary climates.

In this project, You will develop and implement the weather cycle physics into the group’s existing 3D planetary climate simulations. Your goal will be to develop 3D simulations of the methane weather cycle in Titan. You will:

create new and unprecedented high-spatial resolution simulations of the methane cycle in Titan
analyse and determine the physical properties of cloud evolution during one Titan year and quantify the physical processes that supply the atmosphere with methane
apply the new model to observations from the James Webb Space Telescope from terrestrial to sub-Neptune planets to unveil the role of weather cycles in exoplanets

You will join the new research group in planetary sciences. Thanks to the successful Horizon Europe Guarantee grant, the group will soon grow to 8 members.

Potential supervisors

Lead supervisor

Dr Joao Manuel Mendonca

Associate Professor

Entry requirements

You must have a UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent.

Fees and funding

We offer a range of funding opportunities for both UK and international students, including Bursaries and Scholarships.

To learn about funding opportunities visit our Doctoral College scholarships and bursaries information.

Funding will be awarded on a rolling basis. Apply early for the best opportunity to be considered.

How to apply

Apply now

You need to:

choose programme type (Research), 2025/26, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
choose ‘PhD in Physics (Full time)’ on the next page
insert name of the supervisor Dr Joao M. Mendonca in section 2 of the application form

Applications should include: