14 Feb 2024
Job Information
- Organisation/Company
BRGM- Research Field
Other- Researcher Profile
First Stage Researcher (R1)- Country
France- Application Deadline
15 Mar 2024 - 23:59 (Europe/Brussels)- Type of Contract
Temporary- Job Status
Full-time- Hours Per Week
35- Offer Starting Date
1 Sep 2024- Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?
Not funded by an EU programme- Reference Number
2024-2469- Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?
No
Offer Description
First, we plan to analyze the contribution of satellite data for better estimating river geometry and dynamics of the model's surface water boundary conditions through the combined use of optical images, Sentinel-1, and SWOT. These new observations will improve the modelization of baseflow, river/groundwater exchanges, and alluvial groundwater levels. If available, very high-resolution Digital Terrain Models will also be used to improve the definition of the modeled watersheds.
Secondly, we plan to assess the ability of the SWOT data to better evaluate the simulated river heights and the spatial coverage of simulated flooding due to groundwater overflow. In spatialized hydrogeological models, SWOT data may combined with in-situ data to optimize model hydrodynamic parameters using semi-automatic methods (PEST tool (Doherty et al., 2020).
In global hydrological models, SWOT's contribution will be tested to calibrate model parameters on ungauged sub-basins - i.e. without available in-situ observations. Lastly, if time permits, we plan to evaluate the SWOT's contribution to forecasting river flows and groundwater levels through the correction of the initial model states. Such evaluation will be carried out through direct correction of model outputs or data assimilation techniques.
[CONTINUED CONTEXT]
The study area of the thesis will be the Somme watershed, where BRGM has a spatialized hydrogeological model that has been developed and improved over the last twenty years for multiple applications (rising-water flooding, climate change, etc.), and which is already used in operational forecasting platforms (AquiFR platform, Vergnes et al. 2020). Assimilation techniques will be tested for improving groundwater levels forecasting over this basin through a PhD work starting in January 2024.
At present, hydrogeological models are used as groundwater resource management tools for various applications, such as short- and medium-range forecasting ( - 6 months) or assessment of the impact of climate change, at spatial scales ranging from small watersheds to large regional aquifer systems (e.g. Aquitaine basin). Their development requires both knowledge of the geomorphological characteristics of the hydrosystems to be modeled and enough observations to validate the simulated hydrological variables (riverflows and groundwater levels).
However, the spatial and temporal coverage of these data is often insufficient, leading to significant uncertainties in model results. Today, new satellite products (SWOT, Sentinel-1, etc.) are available at spatial resolutions that are now compatible with the management tools used at BRGM. This thesis aims to analyze some potential contributions of these satellite data to the modeling of water resources (surface and groundwater).
These contributions will be assessed in relation to two types of modeling. (1) Global hydrological models that conceptually model riverflows at the outlets of sub-catchments connected to each other from upstream to downstream as well as groundwater levels at pre-selected piezometers.
They are widely used for forecasting groundwater levels (MétéEAU Nappes platform ; Surdyk et al., 2022) or Baseflows (PREMHYCE platform; Nicolle et al., 2020). (2) Spatialized hydrogeological models represent hydrosystems in 3d grids and simulate groundwater levels and river flows at each grid point. They require extensive knowledge of the geomorphological characteristics of aquifers and surface waters (lakes, rivers, etc.) and, like lumped hydrological model, their parameters must be calibrated from observations.
Requirements
- Research Field
- Other
- Education Level
- PhD or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications
Requested start date : 2024-09-01
Contract type : Thesis
Thesis title: Assessing the contribution of satellite data to hydrogeological modeling
Education : PhD
Experience : Beginner
Master's Degree or equivalent in environmental sciences or data sciences, with specialization in hydrology or hydrogeology
- Competence in hydrological or hydrogeological modelling
- Proficiencty in both written and spoken English
- Ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment
Desired qualifications :
- Experience in coding skills with Python, R, or equivalent
- Experience with GIS software
- Languages
- FRENCH
- Level
- Excellent
Additional Information
Benefits
This thesis will be co-financed by CNES and BRGM. It will be based mainly at BRGM's Orléans site, with occasional travel to CNES in Toulouse and UMR METIS in Paris.
To complete your PhD, you will be supervised by Anne Jost (HDR), senior lecturer in hydrogeology at Sorbonne University, and Jean-Pierre Vergnes, research engineer at the GDR unit at BRGM in Orléans. You will also have the opportunity to talk to Nicolas Gasnier, research engineer at CNES.
During your work periods at BRGM, you will benefit from a number of advantages, including :
- Collective catering
- Sports and cultural activities
To apply, send us your application by 2024-03-15 :
- Your application: updated CV and covering letter
- 1-2 letters of reference
- Master 1 and 2 transcripts (and equivalent for engineering schools)
To apply, please contact the supervisors :
• Jean-Pierre Vergnes – BRGM ([email protected] )
• Anne Jost – Sorbonne Université, UMR METIS ([email protected] )
• Nicolas Gasnier – CNES ([email protected] )
Work Location(s)
- Number of offers available
- 1
- Company/Institute
- BRGM
- Country
- France
- City
- Orléans
- Geofield
Where to apply
- Website
https://brgm-recrute.talent-soft.com/job/emploi-these-en-modelisation-hydrogeol…
Contact
- City
Orléans cedex 2- Website
https://www.brgm.fr/- Street
3, Avenue C. Guillemin BP 6009- Postal Code
45060
[email protected]
STATUS: EXPIRED