Geologic sources of carbonaceous gasses impacts terrestrial ecology

Geologic sources of carbonaceous gasses and their impacts on terrestrial ecology

Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Reference Code: 0147-NPP-MAR
26-ARC-Earth Sci

How To Apply: Submit all applications in Zintellect. Refer to the NASA Postdoctoral Program website for application instructions and requirements. A complete application must include:

• Research proposal
• Three letters of recommendation
• Official doctoral transcript documents

Final date to receive applications: 3/1/2026 6:00:59 PM Eastern Time Zone

Description: Geologic sources of CO2 and CH4 are important components of the Earth System, influencing atmospheric chemistry and ecological feedbacks. The NASA Postdoctoral Program seeks a candidate to synthesize plume imaging datasets to quantify natural emissions of CH4 and CO2 and assess their local and global impacts. The project will leverage space‑borne and airborne remote‑sensing platforms such as GHGSat, EMIT, and AVIRIS to detect and geolocate emissions from geological vents, wetlands, and other natural hotspots.

Strong expertise in remote sensing, atmospheric modelling, and large‑scale data analytics is essential.

The work will be conducted at NASA Ames Research Center, Silicon Valley, and will involve collaboration with NASA Earth Science teams, the USGS Moffett Field, and partner institutions. The candidate will develop research proposals exploring the use of plume imagers for natural emission quantification and related ecological feedbacks.

Field of Science: Earth Science

References and Recommended Reading:

• Saunois, M., et al., 2024. Global methane budget 2000–2020. Earth System Science Data Discussions, 2024, pp.1-147.
• Mazzini,
  
  A., et al., 2021. Relevant methane emission to the atmosphere from a geological gas manifestation. Scientific Reports, 11(1), p.4138.
• Online article:
  Volcano in Ethiopia is releasing unusually large plumes of methane. James Dinneen. 20 February 2025. New Scientist.
• Thorpe, A.K., et al., 2014. Retrieval techniques for airborne imaging of methane concentrations using high spatial and moderate spectral resolution: application to AVIRIS. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 7(2), pp.491-506.
• Duren, R.M., et al., 2019. California’s methane super-emitters. Nature, 575(7781), pp.180-184.
• Thorpe, A.K., et al., 2024, July. Attributing Methane and CO2 Plumes by Emission Sector with the EMIT and AVIRIS-3 Imaging Spectrometers. In IGARSS  IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (pp. 324-330). IEEE.
• Elder, C.D., et al., 2021. Characterizing methane emission hotspots from thawing permafrost. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 35(12), p.e2020GB006922.
• Cawse‑Nicholson, et al., 2018. Ecosystem responses to elevated CO2 using airborne remote sensing at Mammoth Mountain, California. Biogeosciences, 15(24), pp..

Qualifications: A doctoral degree in the Earth and environmental sciences (or closely related field) is required. Expertise in remote sensing, greenhouse gas observations/modeling, and use of large datasets will be considered a strength.

Eligibility Requirements:

• U.S. Citizens;
• U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR);
• Foreign Nationals eligible for an Exchange Visitor J‑1 visa status;
• Applicants for LPR, asylees, or refugees in the U.S. with a valid EAD card and pending I‑485 or I‑589 forms.
• Applications with citizens from Designated Countries (unless they are Legal Permanent Residents of the United States) will not be accepted. A complete list of Designated Countries can be found at https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

Point of Contact: Mikeala (contact details available upon request)

Contact for questions: npp