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Postdoc: Interactions between large structures, gravity waves and micro-turbulence

Du 1 novembre 2025 au 31 décembre 2026

LMFA laboratory, Lyon, France

The work consists of performing direct numerical simulations (DNS) in a highly stratified turbulence regime in order to study the interactions between large structures, gravity waves, and eddies. The objective is to extract and analyze these components and their interactions using methods developed by the research group. The results will help the theoretical team in Rouen to develop analytical equations describing different moments of order, covering energy, cascade directions, and extreme fluctuations.

The variability of meteorological and climate variables, is composed of fluctuations that occur over a large range of spatial and temporal scales, from a few hundred meters (convection) to planetary scale (hemispheric teleconnections), and from a few minutes to decades. Recent studies have shown interactions between large-scale structures, medium-scale gravity waves, and small-scale micro-turbulence, challenging the traditional view of clear separations in these processes. This raises fundamental questions about the influence of large structures on small scales and vice versa.The large scale (LS) phenomena, such as quasi-2D eddies and Rossby Waves, interact with smaller scales like gravity waves (GW) and micro-turbulence (MiT). These interactions are crucial for understanding atmospheric dynamics, including cloud formation, precipitation, and energy budget.The post-doctorate project, part of the ANR LASWATEX initiative, aims to improve the understanding and prediction of these interactions through new theoretical models and numerical simulations. The project involves collaboration between theorists and numericists from different laboratories in France.The work program includes performing Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) in the strongly stratified turbulence regime to study the interactions between LS, GW, and MiT. The goal is to extract and analyze these components and their interactions using methods developed by the research group. The results will help the theoretical team in Rouen to develop analytical equations describing various order moments, covering energy, cascade directions, and extreme fluctuations. More details here :
http://lmfa.ec-lyon.fr/spip.php?article2437