About the Lab
Welcome to the tropical climate dynamics research group at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)! We are interested in atmospheric and oceanic processes in the tropics and their interactions with higher latitudes. We study a variety of topics, including the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), marine atmospheric boundary layer clouds, the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), the Hadley circulation, equatorial waves, tropical cyclones, El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and tropical-extratropical interactions. One of our primary goals is to improve understanding of observations of these complex phenomena using a hierarchy of models and observations. With this improved understanding, weather and climate prediction can be guided in the right direction.
We are also involved in science education and outreach, particularly at WHOI and in the local Cape Cod community. From bringing hands-on rotating tank climate science experiments to K–12 and college classrooms to mentoring middle- and high-school students and teachers on research projects, we strive to motivate a generation of future scientists.
We have an opening for a Ph,D, student to start Fall 2025 as a part of the MIT-WHOI Joint Program. The project seeks to better understand cloud structures in and surrounding the southern hemisphere branch of the ITCZ over the east Pacific Ocean with a long-term goal of alleviating the double ITCZ bias.
Recent News
During July 2022, Alex Gonzalez and Indrani Ganguly (and the DIYnamics team) co-convened a session at the eighth annual Earth Educators’ Rendezvous in Minneapolis, MN this July entitled, “Teaching atmosphere, ocean, and planetary fluid dynamic fundamentals vividly with rotating tanks.” (https://serc.carleton.edu/earth_rendezvous/2022/program/morning_workshops/w9/index.html). There were approximately 25 participants in their session, with 5–10 from underrepresented groups/minority serving…
Alex started a new position as an Assistant Scientist in the Department of Physical Oceanography at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in June 2022. Alex remains Affiliate Faculty at Iowa State University. With this transition, the Tropical Atmospheric Dynamics Group at ISU becomes the Tropical Climate Dynamics Group at WHOI.
Indrani presented her research entitled “Role of near-surface dynamics and air-sea interactions in subseasonal ITCZ variability over the East Pacific” at the 23rd AOFD conference held in Colorado.
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Have you heard about #Tico, the endangered #manatee? After years of rehab with @OngAquasis , he was finally released into Brazilian waters. But soon, he got caught up in a fast-moving current.
📲 Follow Tico's 2,500-mile journey: http://go.whoi.edu/tico-pr
📹 Rachel Mann © WHOI
Have you heard about #Tico, the endangered #manatee? After years of rehab with @OngAquasis , he was finally released into Brazilian waters. But soon, he got caught up in a fast-moving current.
📲 Follow Tico's 2,500-mile journey: http://go.whoi.edu/tico-pr
📹 Rachel Mann © WHOI
🧵Paper or plastic? When it comes to #straws, both have serious drawbacks. That's why #WHOI scientists partnered with @EastmanChemCo to create a consumer-friendly #alternative to ocean-polluting #plastics.
🧵Paper or plastic? When it comes to #straws, both have serious drawbacks. That's why #WHOI scientists partnered with @EastmanChemCo to create a consumer-friendly #alternative to ocean-polluting #plastics.