In-situ passive microwave sensing of the soil-vegetation-atmosphere continuum
Using a novel multi-frequency, multi-angular passive microwave instrument to study water dynamics in the soil-vegetation-atmosphere continuum-
Background
Understanding water dynamics particularly evaporation is critical for effective water resource management, climate modeling, and agricultural planning. Despite its importance, accurately monitoring evaporation remains a major scientific challenge due to the complexity of surface-atmosphere interactions and limitations in current observational methods . Traditional remote sensing techniques are generally indirect, inferring evaporation from thermal imagery and reflectance data, and are limited by cloud cover. Ground-based techniques like eddy covariance and scintillometry rely on integrating over large areas. This project proposes a novel approach using advanced passive microwave technology, specifically new field-based microwave radiometers, to overcome these limitations. Providing rapid passive microwave measurements at a range of frequencies and incidence angles, the aim is to develop an approach to obtain simultaneous estimates of water content in the soil, vegetation and atmosphere. This new perspective on land-atmosphere exchanges will benefit a wide range of applications related to water and sustainable land and resource management.
Research challenges
Innovation lies in leveraging a new field-based microwave radiometer construction to calibrate models and improve real-time ecological monitoring. With the new rotating, multi-frequency radiometer, featuring high speed sampling, it is now, for the first time, possible to simultaneously measure moisture fluxes in the atmosphere, vegetation and soil. This approach offers new opportunities for land-atmosphere research, carbon credit systems studies, sustainable land management, and water accounting, directly linking scientific advancements to policy and economic incentives.
Your assignment
You will work at the intersection of remote sensing, hydrology, and data analysis to help address global challenges in sustainable land and resource management. You will develop an innovative ground-based measurement technique based on passive microwave radiometry to observe water dynamics in the soil, vegetation, and atmosphere, and infer surface properties such as roughness and soil organic carbon (SOC). Your work will develop the necessary retrieval techniques while accounting for environmental variables and surface properties across increasingly complex landscapes. You will calibrate and validate estimates of soil moisture, water content, and atmospheric moisture using observations from independent in-situ measurements and estimates from models and satellite remote sensing.
This project addresses the persistent and increasingly urgent need to improve estimates of evaporation and evaporation partitioning, observations of which are critical for hydrology, water resources management, and climate science. The improved ability to observe and study land–atmosphere exchanges in the Soil–Vegetation–Atmosphere (SVA) continuum is essential to evaluate the impact of climate change and human activity, and to quantify the effects of adaptation measures. In addition, the proposed research has huge potential for monitoring soil organic carbon (SOC), offering new pathways to support climate-smart agriculture, carbon accounting, and sustainable land management policies.
Your profile
We are looking for a highly motivated and curious candidate with a strong interest in environmental monitoring, sustainable land management, and remote sensing technologies. You should hold a Master’s degree in Environmental Science, Remote Sensing, Earth Observation, Geoinformatics, Hydrology, Soil Science, or a related field.
You have a solid foundation in data analysis, with preferably some experience in (microwave and/or optical) remote sensing data, GIS, and environmental modeling. Familiarity with programming languages such as Python, Julia, R, C++, or MATLAB is considered a strong asset. Experience with fieldwork or working with soil or hydrological data is an advantage.
You are enthusiastic about working with cutting-edge technologies and contributing to innovative solutions in an international environment. You are eager to engage in interdisciplinary research, combining physical measurement with modelling and programming. You enjoy working both independently and as part of a team, and you are ready to contribute to a project with real-world environmental and societal impact. Good English communication skills (written and verbal) are essential.
Keywords: Passive Microwave Technology, Land-Atmosphere Interactions, Environmental Monitoring, Data Modeling and Integration, Sustainable Land Management,
Professor/University group/Wetsus supervisor(s):
University promotor: Prof.dr.ir. Susan Steele-Dunne TU Delft Civil Engineering & Geosciences · Department of Geoscience and Remote Sensing
Wetsus supervisor(s): Dr. ir. Doekle Yntema and Dr. Valentina Sechi
Project partners:
Dr. Richard de Jeu, Transmissivity bv and Natural Water Production
Only applications that are complete, in English, and submitted via the application webpage before the deadline will be considered eligible.
Guidelines for applicants: https://phdpositionswetsus.eu/guide-for-applicants/
