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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

Allysa presents Senior Thesis at 28th Annual ISU Research Symposium

By Alex Gonzalez | November 18, 2020

Allysa Dallmann presented her senior thesis project entitled, “The Influence of ENSO on Future Winter Precipitation and Temperature in the Southwestern United States,” at the 28th Annual Iowa State University Atmospheric Science Undergraduate Research Symposium. Allysa was advised by Dr. Christina Patricola and co-advised by Alex.

Alex hosts seminar at Fall 2020 Penn State Colloquia

By Alex Gonzalez | September 20, 2020

Alex presented research entitled, “Weather in the east Pacific ITCZ: The role of nonlinear dynamics in boreal spring submonthly ITCZ shifts,” at Penn State’s Meteorology and Atmospheric Science Colloquia. More info.

James presents ITCZ research at ISU Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium

By Alex Gonzalez | August 13, 2020

James Larson virtually presented his spring/summer research entitled, “How Climate Model Biases Depend on Weather: Case Studies in the East Pacific Ocean” at the 2020 ISU Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium. James’ poster and presentation can be found at this CyBox link. Congrats, James!

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