Gerald North
 Distinguished Professor and Holder of the Harold J. Haynes Endowed Chair in Geosciences, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Ph.D. in Physics, University of Wisconsin, 1966

Climate analysis. Climate and hydrological modeling. Satellite remote sensing, mission planning. Statistical methods in atmospheric science.

Phone: (979) 845-8077
Fax: (979) 862-4466
Email: g-north@tamu.edu

Office:Room 1204, O&M Bldg.
Mailing Address


Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences | Dept. of Oceanography | Faculty | ATMO 335: Elementary Thermodynamics

ATMO 629: Climate Change | ATMO 631: Climate Modeling | ATMO 632: Statistical Methods | Publications


Narrative

North and his research group are interested in climate change and the determination of its origins. We work with simplified climate models which lend themselves to analytical study, estimation theory as applied to observing systems, and the testing of al l climate models through statistical approaches. Often all three themes are combined for a particular application.

Over a period of 25 years North and associates have studied a hierarchy of simplified models known as Energy Balance Climate Models (EBCMs). Both linear, nonlinear, and stochastic versions of these models have been shown to be good analogs to the real cli mate of the surface temperature field including the two dimensional seasonal cycle and the field of fluctuations. These models have very interesting properties from mathematical as well as physical points of view. For instance, multiple solutions occur fo r the present external conditions and their stability properties are amenable to analysis. Stochastic versions of the models are useful analogs to more comprehensive models making them a useful laboratory for preliminary analyses before expensive experime nts are performed.

The group also collaborates with statisticians and mathematicians on problems of observing system error analysis. For example, we continue to be interested in the ground validation program and the sampling error problems for the Tropical Rainfall Measurin g Mission. We also are interested in the problem of estimating climate parameters (e.g., global average, spherical harmonic coefficients, space-time power spectra, EOFs, etc.) from observing systems consisting of a finite number of point gauges distribute d over the globe or from satellite orbital observing systems. We also want to know how data from disparate sources can be optimally combined.

Most recent works have been along the lines of estimating the strengths of forced response signals in the climate system over the last century. We use various models for estimating the natural variability and the signal waveforms. Then we perform a signal analysis to determine the strengths of the greenhouse gas, the anthropogenic aerosol, the solar variability, and the volcanic signals. We are particularly interested in the 11-year solar cycle signal since it presents a rare opportunity to observe the se nsitivity of climate to an external forcing at such a decadal frequency.

Selected Publications

Goody, Richard, James Anderson, Thomas Karl, Roberta Balstad Miller, Gerald North, Joanne Simpson, Graeme Stephens, and Warren Washington, 2002: Why Monitor the Climate? Bull. of the Amer. Meteorol. Soc. (in press).

Ha, E., G. R. North, Chulsang Yoo, and Kyung-Ja Ha, 2002: Evaluation of some ground truth designs for satellite estimates of rain rate. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 16, 1949-1957.

Kummerow, E 27 authors, G. North, 2000: The status of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) after 2 years in orbit. J. Appl. Meteorol., 39, 1965-1982.

Leroy, S. and G. R. North, 2000: The application of COSMIC data to global change research. TERR ATMOS OCEAN SCI, 11, 187-210 MAR 2000.

North, G. R. and Q. Wu, 1999: Detecting climate signals using space-time EOFs. J. Climate, 14, 1839-1862

Shin, D.-B., G. R. North and K. P. Bowman, 2000: Climatology of reflectivity profiles from the first year of TRMM radar data. J. Climate, 13, 4072-4086.

Ha, Eunho and G. R. North, 1999: Error analysis for some ground validation designs for satellite observations of precipitation. J. Atmos. & Ocean. Technology, 16, 1949-1957.

Kim, K. Y., and G.R. North, 1998: EOF-Based linear prediction algorithm: Examples. J. Climate, 12, 2076-2092.

North, G. R. and M. J. Stevens, 1998: Detecting climate signals in the surface temperature field. J. Climate, 11, 563-577.

Li, T.H, and G. R. North, 1998: Sampling Errors for meteorological fields observed by low earth orbiting satellites. J. Geophys. Res., 103, 19,595-19,614.

Goody, R., J. Anderson and G. R. North, 1998: Testing Climate Models: An Approach, Bull. Am. Met. Soc., 79, 11,2541-2549.

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