Research Statement

My primary research interest is the interface between the fluid dynamics and the biology of the sea. The fundamental connection between these disciplines in the oceanographic context arises from three basic sources: (1) ocean currents continually redistribute dissolved and suspended constituents by advection and diffusion; (2) space-time fluctuations in the flows themselves impact biological and chemical rates; and (3) organisms are capable of directed motion through the water. This tripartite linkage poses difficult challenges to understanding oceanic systems: differentiation between the three sources of variability requires accurate assessment of property distributions in space and time, in addition to detailed knowledge of organismal repertoires and the processes by which ambient conditions control the rates of biological and chemical reactions. Understanding the functioning of marine systems requires an integrated strategy that includes theory, observation, and modeling. By weaving these three approaches together, my research program is designed to expose the basic mechanisms of physical-biological-chemical interactions in the ocean. Coupled interdisciplinary model systems provide a focal point for such synthesis, in that such models are used to construct space-time continuous representations of oceanic fields that cannot be achieved through observations alone. Simulations thus provide a four-dimensional framework for the analysis of coupled physical-biological-chemical processes that is not accessible by any other means. However, in order to make these models truly relevant to the real ocean, it is absolutely crucial that they be firmly grounded in data. This synergistic conjoining of observations and models not only provides a useful methodology for process studies, but also maximizes the utility of observations and aids in their interpretation. He has pursued physical-biological-chemical interactions in four contexts: (1)  the role of eddies in biogeochemical cycling of the open ocean , (2)  impacts of coastal circulation on zooplankton, (3) dynamics of harmful algal blooms, and (4) larval dispersal in deep-sea vent communities.