PhD position

With funding by the German Research Foundation, we offer the opportunity for a PhD-thesis (3 years of funding, 65 % of ca. 55000 € per year).

Focus of the project is the characterization of pockmarks at the floor of Lake Constance with sedimentological methods. Pockmarks are funnel-like structures at the lake floor and emit fluids and/or gas. In Lake Constance, ebullition of biogenic methane is known near the mouth of the River Rhine. In other areas, pockmarks are known with a different sedimentological background are known and we have hints for ebullition of thermogenic gas. Their origin should be investigated within an interdisciplinary project.

Our part of the project covers hydroacoustic work with multibeam echosounder, sidescan sonar and sedimentological analyses (recovering of piston cores, grain size, dating, TC, TN, XRD) from pockmarks in different regions of the lake. We look for a person who organizes and conduct surveys with our research vessel. The project is planned in close cooperation of different institutions and disciplines (Institute for Lake Research Langenargen, Univ. Konstanz, Univ. Braunschweig, AWI Bremerhaven and Helgoland, BGR Hannover, EAWAG CH-Dübendorf). Beside sedimentological work, we will work on a quantification of gas, isotope geochemistry and microbiological analyses.

Employment will be at the University of Konstanz. But relevant part of the should be done at the Institute for Lake Research in Langenargen. Some experience in limnology/sedimentology/hydroacoustics will be an advantage.

Candidates contact:
Dr. Martin Wessels, Tel. ++49 – 07543 – 304 171
Institut für Seenforschung der Landesanstalt für Umwelt, Messungen und Naturschutz
Baden-Württemberg, Martin.Wessels@lubw.bwl.de
Or: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Schink, Tel. ++49 – 7531 – 88 2140
Universität Konstanz, Bernhard.Schink@uni-konstanz.de