Post-doc: Achieving the internal wave turbulence regime in the lab

Fluid stratification in density together with the Earth rotation is a central ingredient of the dynamics of the oceans and atmosphere. It deeply modifies turbulence by allowing internal waves to propagate in the bulk of the fluid. Turbulent dynamics at atmospheric and oceanic "small scales" is known to be dominated by these internal waves. In global climate simulations, these small scales are however generally not resolved because of prohibitive computation times and their action is accounted for by parameterizations. Improvement of these parameterizations based on physical theories is an important current challenge. In this framework, the so-called Wave Turbulence Theory is a major avenue which however faces analytical difficulties. The predictions remain uncertain and have not been validated yet in laboratory experiments where a genuine wave turbulence regime in a stratified fluid has not yet been reached.

The post-doc will consist in running a new experimental setup (fluid domain of 2.5 m high and 2.3 m large, 8000 L of stratified salt water) aiming at reaching this wave turbulence regime in a stratified fluid to test the theoretical predictions. In a first stage, the post-doc will run this setup at FAST lab in Orsay to study internal wave turbulence in a density stratified fluid. In a second stage (autumn 2025), the setup will be transferred to Grenoble to be used on the 13m diameter rotating Coriolis platform to add a global rotation to the stratification of the fluid in order to approach more closely the geophysical conditions. In this context, an important task of the post-doc will be to supervise the transfer of the experiments to Grenoble and participate in the experimental campaign there.

Candidates should have received a high-level academic training in non-linear physics and/or in fluid dynamics. They should have obtained a PhD in physics, preferentially but not necessarily in the field of fluid dynamics.