I postdoc'd at NCAR and at CIRES before moving to Davis in January 1982. I've had three sabbaticals: BMRC (Melbourne Australia) and twice at NCAR.

Over recent years, my scientific work has been roughly 40% theoretical dynamics, 35% synoptics, 20% general circulation model development, and 5% numerical weather prediction & forecasting.
      I seek a complete understanding of whatever problem I am studying.  My areas of focus have been frontal cyclones, subtropical highs, the atmosphere's global scale circulations, climate change, and weather predition.

My recent work includes the initial growth of cyclones using linear and nonlinear theoretical models, including a focus upon localized systems (instead of wavetrains). I approach the problem in an unusual way, by tempering the theoretical work with corresponding observational analysis.
      I am continuing work to extensively to investigate the subtropical highs (including the one which strongly influences our weather in California); this work has had primarily observational and modeling components.
      My current research has raised our understanding of what causes some important errors in how many climate models simulate the surface climate of the Arctic.
      In the early 1990's I wrote a comprehensive book on the general circulation; I now have plans to thoroughly revise and update the book for a new publisher.

My research is heading into several new areas.
      One example is an assessment of where the air reaching California has travelled; this issue is key to understanding air quality here given evidence that some of the air has passed over heavily polluted regions of eastern Asia.
      Another area of interest is certain types of extreme weather which our research has shown is linked to specific very large scale patterns. We are applying that knowledge to assessing how extreme weather is likely to change in over the next century.

I teach computer methods, general circulation, weather forecasting, synoptic meteorology, advanced dynamics, and other subjects as needed by the group.

8 graduate students (3 women, 5 men) completed their degrees under my guidance. 

Permanent jobs specifically in dynamics are quite limited, but general computer and modeling skills remain broadly employable. (Atmospheric Sciences has better employment prospects than most sciences.)

Beyond my regular faculty duties, I own a small farm 4 miles from Davis. Our main crop is pistachios. Recently, we installed a 4kW solar PV system that provides about 75% of the electrical usage in the house and rental unit. My twin daughters, Anna & Karen, born 25 April 1997, keep my wife and me very busy.

I lived in Australia for a year and visited 6 continents (if you'll allow me to count Japan as being in "Asia").

Misc. .gif Movies
Misc. .gif Images

Tahoe waterspouts imagery 

Subtropical High work 

Dyanmics and Instability research links This path includes the paper on the instability of a local structure in directory "Local".

Dan Hodyss' resolution test .gifs & gif Movies

Cris Castello's MAS model plots.

UCAR members meeting Oct. 1999

upper air       text products

consulting related information  

NCAR Graphics homepage