Ongoing research · Updated September 2026
Current
Work
My current research asks how tropical-cyclone wave fields retain a memory of earlier forcing—and how that memory can be observed, reconstructed, and eventually tested with coupled models.
Research arc
Observation → history → mechanism
- 01
ObserveUse buoy spectra and environmental fields to identify where wave state departs from the instantaneous wind relationship.
- 02
ReconstructTrace the forcing encountered by propagating wave components and test which histories explain the departures.
- 03
ModelMove into wave and coupled atmosphere–wave–ocean experiments to isolate the responsible physical mechanisms.
This work tests whether recent wind history explains wave-state variability beyond the instantaneous local wind. A validated wind-only generalized additive model provides the baseline; its residuals reveal where the observed wave field is out of equilibrium with present forcing.
Current signalCross-wind history improves held-out predictions of high-frequency and peak-frequency directional spreading, as well as the directional offset between those bands.
Working interpretationDirectional organization appears to be an observable signature of spectral memory, while the forcing encountered by propagating waves is the more direct physical driver.
Next questionsEstablish which relationships remain robust across storms, separate true memory from alternate representations of present forcing, and resolve frequency-dependent histories.
DriftCaster combines buoy observations with ocean, wave, and atmospheric forcing to display live conditions and forecast virtual-buoy trajectories across the North Pacific.
What it comparesSimple drift, finite-inertia, and full SMOC trajectory products alongside time-varying environmental fields.
Why it mattersThe tool connects abstract transport calculations to an inspectable forecast path, making model behavior and environmental context easier to evaluate together.
The next phase moves from observational and statistical evidence toward controlled WW3 and, eventually, coupled WRF–WW3–ROMS experiments that can test how wave memory emerges dynamically.
Initial caseTC Lala is under consideration as a manageable first case for learning the modeling systems while developing dissertation-relevant experiments.
Coupled exchangesThe framework considers momentum, heat, moisture, currents, waves, roughness, and sea-state-dependent fluxes across the component models.
Scientific goalMechanistically test the observational result that wave state depends on forcing history rather than instantaneous local wind alone.
Earlier work
Undergraduate project archive
The complete 2021–2024 collection includes oceanography research, climate predictability, scientific visualization, urban design, and environmental policy.
Browse all 11 projects →