22 Feb 2024
Job Information
- Organisation/Company
UNIVERSITÉ DE FRANCHE-COMTÉ- Department
Institut UTINAM- Research Field
Astronomy- Researcher Profile
First Stage Researcher (R1)- Country
France- Application Deadline
3 Jun 2024 - 00:00 (Europe/Paris)- Type of Contract
Temporary- Job Status
Full-time- Hours Per Week
37- Offer Starting Date
1 Oct 2024- Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?
Not funded by an EU programme- Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?
No
Offer Description
Science justification:
TransNeptunian Objects (TNOs) are small bodies orbiting the Sun beyond the orbit of Neptune. Of order 4000 are currently known, of which a sizeable fraction are multiple systems. Astrometrical observations and dynamical studies of these multiple systems allow to determine the mass and density of these objects, and thus study of their composition. Since TNOs have had little evolution since their formation, such results shed light on the primordial Solar System.
Several scenarii have been proposed to explain the formation of small bodies and mutliple systems. The currently favored model combines Streaming Instability followed by gravitational instability. Whatever the dominant mechanics, it imprints its mark on the multiple system population. A statistical study of separation, mass ratio, shape and orientation of the mutual orbits will constrain the formation models.
Starting 2027 MICADO (Multi-AO Imaging Camera for Deep Observations) will be mounted on the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), the new European Southern Observatory (ESO) telescope, currently under construction on Cerro Armazones (Chile). The combination of the large aperture of the telescope and MICADO will deliver unparalleled performance, especially in terms of astrometric resolution in the near-infrared. The camera will be equipped with an adaptive optics system (MORFEO, previously called MAORY), while the telescope will comprise a 3-mirror anastigmatic system, with a total diameter of 39 m.
Objectives:
The position is to prepare observations of multiple-system TNOs with MICADO through simulations. The candidate will use the simulation tools (ScopeSim) made available by the MICADO team. He will first run synthetic populations generated from known statistics and predictions from formation models through the simulator, varying separation, orientation, shape, mass ratio between componants and apparent magnitude. She/he will determine the best observing strategies (number of exposures, temporal sequencing) to reach the astrometric precision required to determine the mutual orbits of the simulated systems, then their mass and density. This statistical study will determine a-priori the observational biases. While setting up these strategies, the candidate will consider the possibility to complement MICADO observations with other telescopic observations.
Following the thesis, the laureate and our team will be in good position to answer the first calls for proposals for observing time on MICADO/E-ELT to observe multiple-system TNOs detected in recent and coming surveys such as OSSOS, DECam, CLASSY and LSST to name a few.
Required skills:
The successful candidate must have an Astronomy or Astrophysics Master or equivalent. She/he must have solid working knowledge in dynamics, a good competancy in Python and a compiled language (C, Fortran, ...) programming, basic knowledge in Linux or other Unix OS, as well as a good level in English.
Requirements
- Research Field
- Astronomy » Astrophysics
- Education Level
- Master Degree or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications
- a Master degree (or equivalent) in Astronomy, Astrophysics or related fields
- good knowledge in celestial mechanics,
- prior experience in numerical methods programming.
Specific Requirements
• good knowledge in celestial mechanics,
• prior experience in numerical methods programming
- Languages
- FRENCH
- Level
- Basic
- Languages
- ENGLISH
- Level
- Good
- Research Field
- Astronomy » Astrophysics
Additional Information
Benefits
The position has a fixed term of three years and will start no later than October 2024. It leads to a PhD with a final defense. The net salary (after taxes) will be around 2000€ depending on housing help eligibility and possible, but not mandatory, teaching duties. You will benefit from a series of multidisciplinary courses taught at the UFC doctoral school. An annual budget for attending conferences and workshops is also planned.
Selection process
The application will contain :
- a motivation letter,
- a detailed curriculum vitae,
- certified grades for the three last academic years,
- names and email addresses of two references.
Please send your application or any further questions by mail with the subject ”[MICADO PhD]” to [email protected] . Evaluation of applications will begin immediately.
Dr. (HDR) Benoît Noyelles
Head of ASTRO team of UTINAM laboratory, UMR 6213 CNRS / University of Franche-Comté
http://perso.utinam.cnrs.fr/~bnoyelle/
https://www.utinam.cnrs.fr/la-recherche/programmes-scientifiques/equipe…
Work Location(s)
- Number of offers available
- 1
- Company/Institute
- Institut UTINAM
- Country
- France
- City
- Besançon
- Postal Code
- 25000
- Street
- 41 bis avenue de l’observatoire
- Geofield
Where to apply
[email protected]
Contact
- State/Province
Franche-Comté- City
BESANCON- Website
http://www.univ-fcomte.fr
https://www.utinam.cnrs.fr/la-recherche/programmes-scientifiques/equipe-astro-2- Street
1 rue Claude Goudimel- Postal Code
25000
[email protected]
STATUS: EXPIRED