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Postdoctoral position at NASA/Johnson Space Center
From: "David Mittlefehldt" <david.w.mittlefehldt@xxxxxxxx>
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Postdoctoral position at NASA/Johnson Space Center
We are seeking a postdoctoral fellow to do geophysical modeling of the thermal history of crusts of differentiated asteroids, and the transport of magmas through the crusts. Geophysical models for the formation of the earliest crust on 4 Vesta will be constructed to further understand the nature of the solid substrate that hosted orthopyroxenite and gabbroic intrusions (diogenite and cumulate eucrite meteorites) and extrusive volcanic rocks (basaltic eucrite meteorites). One goal of this project is to develop better physical models for the thermal boundary layer on Vesta and its evolution as the asteroid differentiated. The modeling will start with existing thermal and magma transport models, and investigate in detail the thermal and physical fate of the initial thermal boundary layer, and magma transport through this layer. It is anticipated that this coupled modeling will lead to predictions about how various magma compositions will be distributed with depth in the crust of Vesta. Applicants should have experience in numerical modeling in a related field, such as thermal evolution, planetary interiors, or magma chamber dynamics.
This work is being done at NASA/Johnson Space Center in support of NASA's Dawn mission. The spacecraft will enter orbit about Vesta in July 2011 and do measurements of the surface morphology, mineralogy and composition, and probe the interior structure for about one year.
The postdoctoral position is through the NASA Postdoctoral Program, administered by Oak Ridge Associated Universities. Information on the program is at: http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc/. Information on this project is at: http://www2.orau.gov/NASA_Catalog/Opportunity/18558.
The hard deadline for applications is 1 November 2010, with a desired start date of 1 June 2011. Interested scientists should first contact the project PI well in advance of the deadline.
David W. Mittlefehldt (project PI)
Astromaterials Research Office
NASA/Johnson Space Center
david.w.mittlefehldt@xxxxxxxx
281-483-5043
Walter S. Kiefer (project Co-I)
Lunar and Planetary Institute
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