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
My research involves using high-resolution numerical models and field campaign observations to understand tropical cyclone intensity, intensity change and precipitation structure. Specifically, I am interested in whether environmental conditions or internal dynamics drive rapid intensity changes in tropical cyclones, the physical processes responsible for generating inner spiral rainbands and secondary eyewalls, and the predictability of rainfall associated with landfalling tropical systems.
For Fall 2014, I have NOAA CSTAR (Collaborative Science, Technology, and Applied Research) funding for one new graduate student to work on the predictability of heavy precipitation associated with tropical moisture in collaboration Prof. Ryan Torn and the National Weather Service. More information about the UAlbany CSTAR program can be found at http://cstar.cestm.albany.edu/About.htm
My research interests are in the area of synoptic to large-scale atmospheric dynamics.
Beginning in the Fall 2014, I have NOAA/NWS/CSTAR (Collaborative Science, Technology, and Applied Research) funding for one new graduate student to investigate on transition season Northeast storms and East Coast atmospheric rivers. This project would be co-advised by Prof. Daniel Keyser and in collaboration with the National Weather Service. More information about the UAlbany CSTAR program can be found at http://cstar.cestm.albany.edu/About.htm
Beginning in the Fall 2014, I will also have a graduate student opportunity in a project centered on understanding the dynamics and mechanisms associated with cool-season synoptic scale events (e.g., extratropical transitions and explosive cyclogenesis events) in troposphere-stratosphere coupling. Specifically, the investigation would focus on understanding the role of the synoptic scale in shaping structure and evolution of the lower stratosphere during periods of troposphere-stratosphere coupling.
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 addresses intraseasonal and interannual large-scale flow variability and associated atmospheric predictability from a phenomenological perspective and requires 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 includes 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 may be needed for this project beginning in September 2013.
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. A decision will be made in winter 2012-2013 as to whether to seek additional funding for this project.
One new graduate student may be needed for this project beginning in September 2013.
III. NSF: "Mesoscale Convective Studies during the 2013 Mesoscale Predictability Experiment (MPEX)"
A High Plains mesoscale predictability field experiment (MPEX) is scheduled for late spring and early summer 2013. The focus of MPEX will be on using the NCAR G-V research aircraft to obtain mesoscale dropsonde observations over and east of the Rockies prior to 1200 UTC to enhance the analysis of sub-synoptic and mesoscale structure in the pre-convective storm upstream environment. These dropsonde observations will be used in studies of atmospheric predictability, analyses of the life cycles of mescal convective systems, and in model forecast verification. PI Bosart has secured new three-year funding from the NSF for this project. He will focus his MPEX research on the analyses of mesoscale-synoptic scale and storm scale-mesoscale interactions over complex terrain over the course of a diurnal heating cycle.
One new graduate student may be needed for this new project in September 2013.
IV. NASA: "Using NASA Reconnaissance Assets to Investigate Hurricane Upper-level Warm Core Evolution, Inner Warm Core Pulsing, and Near-Environment Moisture Interactions"
This is a newly funded small three year grant with Jason union of NOAA/AOML/HRD as the lead PI. Co-PIs Chris Velden (University of Wisconsin-Madison SSEC and Lance Bosart (UAlbany) round out the research team. This funded proposal will support the analysis of data obtained during the NASA HS3 (Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel) Mission experiments scheduled for the late summer and early fall of 2012-2014. HS3 will involve flying two unmanned Global Hawk aircraft deployed from NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Va. to study hurricane development in the North Atlantic Ocean Basin. A NOAA P3 aircraft will provide additional research data during HS3. Our research effort will be focused on using research aircraft data obtained during HS3 to investigate the structure and evolution of the environmental wind and moisture fields in the hurricane environment and in the hurricane inner-core region.
One new graduate student may be needed for this project in September 2013.
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.
African Easterly Waves (AEW) are important features to sub-Saharan Africa as they provide a significant fraction of rainfall to regions away from the coast and they can act as the precursor disturbance for Atlantic tropical cyclogenesis. Although the basic dynamics of these features has been known for a while, there has been a lack of studies on how the predictability of these systems changes under various synoptic circumstances. This project will use ECMWF ensemble forecasts contained in the THORPEX Interactive Grand Global Ensemble (TIGGE) archive to understand under what circumstances these systems are more or less predictable and the dynamical mechanisms that reduce their predictability. The ideal student for this work enjoys atmospheric dynamics and modeling. Questions can be directed to Ryan Torn at rtorn**at**albany.edu.
ASRC Graduate Student Opportunities - Atmospheric Chemistry
February 2014
There are opportunities for graduate study in one or more of the following topics.
1. Accountability and Air Pollution - Using Long-Term Measurements to Assess Progress in Air Pollution Reduction
2. Wood Smoke Pollution in the Adirondacks - This is also a measurement based project, using both stationary site measurements and portable air quality monitoring kits to assess wood smoke as a pollution problem.