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Tropical Climate Dynamics Lab

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.

NOAA GOES-17 imagery showing a double ITCZ, one ITCZ in each hemisphere, spanning the Pacific Ocean on 10 March 2018. Courtesy of NASA’s Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) Team.

Recent News

Marissa Osterloh begins her Summer 2021 research on the ITCZ

By jowilly | May 24, 2021

We welcome undergraduate student, Marissa Osterloh, to our research group for Summer 2021. Marissa will work on studying east Pacific ITCZ events that occurred during 1998 to 2012 in ECMWF and NASA observational and reanalysis data for northern ITCZs, southern ITCZs, and double ITCZs.

Allysa presents at ISU’s 15th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium

By Alex Gonzalez | April 21, 2021

Allysa Dallmann presented her Spring 2021 research at ISU’s 15th Annual Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression. A recording of her talk entitled can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwolxnW4LL4. Congrats, Allysa!

Allysa receives LAS research award

By Alex Gonzalez | December 21, 2020

Allysa Dallmann was awarded the Dean’s High Impact Awards for Undergraduate Research for Spring 2021. Each award is $1,200 per semester or $4,800 for summer. Allysa will be advised by Dr. Christina Patricola and co-advised by Alex. She will continue her senior thesis research on the influence of El Niño Southern Oscillation on past and future precipitation.…

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