Currently Funded Research Opportunities

Some Current Research Opportunities for Graduate Students in the Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, University at Albany (DAES-UAlbany). More opportunities are available at the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center

 

Dr. Kristen L. Corbosiero

The main research area for which I am looking for new students involves evaluating high-resolution (1.33 km) Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model simulations of Atlantic basin tropical cyclones (http://www.atmos.albany.edu/facstaff/kristen/wrf/wrf.html). Specifically, I am looking for one student to investigate the distribution of CAPE, vertical shear and helicity in the simulated storms with an eye towards understanding rapid intensification/weakening. I am also looking for a student to examine the mechanisms responsible for the generation of secondary eyewalls and concentric eyewall cycles.

I have also recently begun a number of projects using lightning flash locations determined from the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN; http://wwlln.org/). My students and I have been evaluating the quality of this long range lightning detection system to determine its feasibility in examining lightning distributions in tropical cyclones over the open oceans. We have seen very promising results thus far and believe the lightning counts and distributions in tropical cyclones can reveal much about their internal dynamics and intensity change. I am looking for one new student to continue this research.

Finally, it is possible that by Fall 2012 I will have a NASA grant funded to use data from the Global Hawk UAVs to examine the effects of vertical wind shear on tropical cyclones.

 

Dr. Mathias Vuille

US State Department: Andean Climate Change Interamerican Observatory Network (ACCION)

Three fully funded M.S. or PhD fellowships are available for students interested in participating in an international and interdisciplinary initiative called ACCION (Andean Climate Change Interamerican Observatory Network) to study aspects of current and future climate change and glacier retreat in the Andes. In order to be eligible students must be citizens of Chile, Peru, Ecuador or Colombia, pass the English TOEFL test and have a B.S. or M.S. degree in a science discipline (preferably Atmospheric Science, Environmental Science or Physics). Preferred start date is January 2012 although a later start date is also possible. Interested students should contact Mathias Vuille (1-518-442-4472, mathias@atmos.albany.edu) for more information regarding the project and the details on how to apply.

 

Dr. Lance F. Bosart 

I. NOAA: "Intraseasonal and Interannual Variability of the North Pacific Jet Stream: A Governor of Seasonal Climate Predictability in the Americas" (PI: Bosart)

            This project will address intraseasonal and interannual large-scale flow variability and associated atmospheric predictability from a phenomenological perspective and will require documenting the structure, evolution, and frequency of high-impact weather events that contribute to the observed variability of this flow, and by extension seasonal temperature and rainfall anomalies. This perspective requires a focus on the role of transient disturbances originating from the tropical and arctic sides of the midlatitude Rossby waveguide along the North Pacific jet stream in exciting and reconfiguring Rossby wave trains that provide a dynamical connection between upstream transient disturbances and downstream high-impact weather events. The respective tropical and arctic influences on the midlatitude Rossby waveguide may be classified as "tropical-extratropical interactions" (TEIs) and "arctic-extratropical interactions" (AEIs). Three types of TEIs and AEIs that are considered hard to predict are: western North Pacific tropical cyclones, dynamic tropopause-based coherent disturbances (potential vorticity anomalies), and surface anticyclones/cyclones and associated cold surges. The research will include an examination of how the frequency and location of TEIs and AEIs associated with the North Pacific jet stream can result in the occurrence of high-impact weather events over the Americas within a framework of varying large-scale flow patterns ranging from the El Nino-Southern Oscillation on interannual time scales, the Madden-Julian Oscillation on intraseasonal time scales, and the Arctic Oscillation on sub-monthly time scales.

One new graduate student will be needed for this project beginning in September 2011.

 

II. NSF: "North Atlantic Tropical Cyclone Genesis Pathways" (PI: Bosart)

            This project is motivated by previous research by the PI and others that has identified the existence of six different genesis pathways for North Atlantic tropical cyclones (TCs). The focus of this project will be on: i) how synoptic- and subsynoptic-scale upper-level precursor disturbances control TC development as a function of genesis pathway, ii) what physical processes govern individual TC genesis pathways and how TC life cycle, track, frequency, and structure vary as a function of genesis pathway, iii) the applicability of the PREDICT "marsupial pouch" TC genesis hypothesis to TC formation along each genesis pathway, iv) how multiple mesoscale convective vortices interact and organize prior to formal TC genesis, and v) documenting the evolution of TC genesis events (including null events) by means of diagnostic and prognostic investigations in cooperation with other PREDICT PIs. These tasks will be accomplished by means of: i) the construction of a TC genesis pathway climatology (research in progress), ii) the development of a diagnostic genesis pathway parameter for each TC genesis pathway, iii) detailed case studies of TC genesis/null events during the field phase of PREDICT (August and September 2010), iv) preparation of "composite analysis ensembles" to highlight genesis pathway-dependent environmental signatures and dynamical important features and relationships, and v) high-resolution modeling studies of archetype TC events during PREDICT to evaluate pathway-dependent model sensitivity.

One new graduate student will be needed for this project beginning in September 2011.

 

Drs. Lance F. Bosart and Daniel Keyser

I. NSF: "Phenomenological and Predictability Studies of Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclones in Relation to the Pacific Jet Stream" (Co-PIs: Lance Bosart and Daniel Keyser)

This project will investigate tropical cyclones (TCs) over the western North Pacific with emphasis on TC life cycle, track, and structure; TC interaction with the North Pacific jet stream; and high-impact weather events over the eastern North Pacific and North America that are linked dynamically to western North Pacific TCs. Atmospheric predictability will be addressed in terms of conventional statistical measures of model forecast skill, and will be assessed in the context of episodes of individual western North Pacific TCs and downstream high-impact weather events. These project goals will be accomplished through an analysis of recurving and transitioning TCs, including those TCs that undergo extratropical transition and subsequent reintensification as extratropical cyclones, over the western North Pacific from July through December.

One new graduate student may be needed for this project beginning in September 2011.

 

II. NOAA/NWS/CSTAR: "Collaborative Research with the National Weather Service on Cool- and Warm-Season Precipitation Forecasting over the Northeastern United States" (Co-PIs: Lance Bosart and Daniel Keyser)

The proposed research effort is expected to lead to increased scientific understanding and improved forecasting of a class of high-impact weather events, including localized heavy snow and ice accumulations, damaging winds and hail, and widespread flooding, that have the potential to cause substantial societal and economic disruption over the northeastern US. This class of high-impact weather events will be addressed in the context of applicable National Weather Service Eastern Region science priorities concerned with improving cool- and warm-season precipitation forecasting over the northeastern US by focusing on the following important and challenging forecast problems:

* ice storms and freezing precipitation (i.e., high frequency and duration of icing events)

* mesoscale substructure in winter storms (i.e., abrupt variations in winds and precipitation rates)

* deep convection, severe weather, and Appalachian lee troughs (i.e., rapid in-situ development of organized convection)

* mesoscale precipitation substructure in recurving and landfalling tropical cyclones (i.e., occurrence of coastal and inland flooding)

One new graduate student will be needed for this project beginning in September 2011.

 

III. NCEP/UCAR: "Collaborative Research with NCEP on High-Impact Weather Associated with Inland Tropical Cyclones and Large-Amplitude Inertia-Gravity Waves over the Eastern United States" (Co-PIs: Lance Bosart and Daniel Keyser)

The Co-PIs will focus on analyses of hazardous weather conditions associated with the post-landfall phase of TCs, and high winds associated with large-amplitude inertia-gravity waves (IGWs) over the eastern U.S. Specifically, they will conduct:

* A multiscale analysis of severe inland flooding in the Mid-Atlantic region during the post-landfall phase of tropical cyclone (TC) Camille (1969).

* A diagnostic analysis of the unexpected inland reintensification of TC Danny (1997) back to tropical storm strength within an equatorward jet-entrance region.

* An observational case study and synoptic evaluation of numerical model forecast skill for the moderate-amplitude IGW event from 1-2 march 2009 over the eastern U.S.

One new graduate student will be needed for this project beginning in September 2011.

 

Dr. John Molinari

I have four projects currently funded, and all are open for Fall 2012. Descriptions are below:

1. National Science Foundation: Role of Intense Convection in Sheared Tropical Cyclones.

This work involves observational studies of formation and intensity change of hurricanes in the presence of vertical wind shear. Although vertical shear has been known for many years to influence storms, usually to weaken them or keep them from forming, we know surprisingly little about how it works. We have studied storms that "broke the rules" by rapidly intensifying in the presence of large shear (see the publication page). We often study storms that form or intensify near the coast, because then we have access to coastal radar as well as U.S. Air Force reconnaissance, data from various satellites, and from research flights. We do detective work to understand storms that behaved unexpectedly in some fashion.

2. NASA: Convective Bursts During Tropical Cyclone Formation and Intensification

In these studies we focus on the clouds themselves and how they contribute to storm development. We have calculated variables that are important in U.S. Midwest convection, such as CAPE, shear, and helicity. We have found that these variables also carry information about where severe cells occur in hurricanes. In this work we are also examining data from NASA Research Flights into various hurricanes in 2010. I was on some of those flights, and two of my students (Leon Nguyen and Diana Thomas) were able to get on a flight into Hurricane Earl that had several eyewall crossings when the storm had a well-formed eye (quite a first flight into a hurricane for them!). In this study we are examining detailed structure of the eye wall of Earl using multiple instruments on the aircraft.

3. National Science Foundation: Large-Scale Influences on Tropical Cyclogenesis

This work covers synoptic scale disturbances that influence tropical cyclone formation. They include "equatorial wave modes", which have weird structures (by midlatitude standards). For instance, Kelvin waves have winds that are strongest at the centers of highs and lows! These waves, which also include equatorial Rossby waves and Rossby-gravity waves, all influence tropical cyclone formation (see publication list). We are also studying "subtropical gyres", which are huge cyclones that can extend more than 40 degrees longitude and 30 degrees latitude that occur in the west Pacific in summer. Multiple cyclones sometimes form on the edges of these giant lows.

4. National Science Foundation: Understanding Tropical Cyclone Evolution in Wind Shear through a Synthesis of Observational Data Sets and Idealized Simulations.

This work has some overlap with the first grant above, but also includes computer simulation of hurricanes. It focuses on the role of winds in the hurricane environment, especially the structure of the vertical wind shear. For instance, we have found that when the mean environmental wind around a storm rotates clockwise with height, a simulated storm intensifies, whereas when the wind rotates counterclockwise, it does not. We are trying to understand why, and in general the role of environmental winds in tropical cyclones.

5. By Fall 2012, it is possible that another NASA grant will be funded that will investigate data from the Global Hawks flown by NASA. These are unmanned aircraft that can fly over the hurricane for up to 36 hours! I will probably not hear about this until May 2012.

 

Dr. Paul Roundy

I'm looking for one PhD student to analyze observations of high impact weather events associated with Kelvin waves in the Pacific ocean that couple to atmospheric convection. These waves bridge timescales between those of the Madden-Julian Oscillation and those of the El Nino/Southern Oscillation, and understanding them will improve our ability to predict events around the globe at the weather-climate interface. The successful applicant is likely to have at least some previous experience working with large datasets, some knowledge of statistics, and a good understanding of atmospheric dynamics.

 

Dr. Christopher D. Thorncroft

Tropical Cyclogenesis associated with African Easterly Waves

While most tropical cyclones form from African easterly waves (AEWs) only a small fraction of AEWs become tropical cyclones. The research to be carried out in this project will be concerned with improving our knowledge and understanding of the processes that influence whether an AEW will be come a tropical cyclone or not. It will combine analysis of observations and modeling and is supported by NASA.

 

Dr. Ryan Torn

Using Ensembles to Understand Atmospheric Predictability

My research projects involve using forecast ensembles to understand the processes that limit the predictability of the atmosphere. Using the statistics from the ensemble, one can determine the dynamical mechanisms that contribute to inaccurate forecasts. I will be looking for a student to use these techniques to understand tropical cyclones, African waves, or midlatitude storms. The ideal student for my group enjoys atmospheric dynamics and modeling and has some programming background. Feel free to contact me via email (torn**at**atmos**dot**albany**dot**edu) for additional information.

Two graduate student slots are available for students who are interested in studying the predictability of tropical cyclone genesis and tropical cyclone intensity. This projects are associated with the National Science Foundation PRE-Depression Investigation of Cloud-systems in the Tropics (PREDICT) experiment from 2010 and the NOAA Hurricane Forecast Improvement Project (HFIP). The students who work on these projects will use output from high-resolution ensemble forecasts to answer questions about how and why rapid intensification occurs within a numerical model and the predictability of this process, the role of the tropical cyclone environment vs. the TC inner core in determining intensity change or where to take observations that will improve our ability to predict TC intensity. The ideal student for this work enjoys atmospheric dynamics and modeling. Feel free to contact me via email (torn**at**atmos**dot**albany**dot**edu) for additional information.

 

Dr. Scott Miller

Graduate Student Opportunity in Air-Sea CO2 Exchange

Support is available for a PhD student to study air-sea interaction in the Southern Ocean. The objective is to deploy an underway system to measure air-sea fluxes of momentum, sensible and latent heat, and carbon dioxide. The system will be installed on the polar ship R/V Palmer and collect air-sea flux data for two austral summer seasons. It is anticipated that these data will help to improve the way in which air-sea gas exchange is parameterized in climate models, and, ultimately, to the understanding of both Southern Ocean and global carbon budgets. The student will participate in all aspects of the project: system design/testing, installation on the R/V Palmer, several research cruises, and data analysis, presentation, and publication.