Research Statement

Professor Thomas Reichler is a climate modeler and analyst who is interested in the relationship between climate change and atmospheric dynamics. He performs numerical experiments with climate models to study how jet streams, storm tracks, and other key-features of the general circulation are responding to climate change and how this affects global precipitation patterns and other aspects of surface climate. Prof. Reichler also investigates the role of the stratosphere for tropospheric weather and climate, research that may help to improve the predictability of weather on weekly to monthly time scales and the certainty of future climate predictions. He also develops objective performance measures for climate models, which can be used for optimally-weighted multi-model climate predictions.

Research Groups

  • Hao-Jhe Hong, Graduate Student. 08/15/2016 - present.
  • Zheng Winnie Wu, Graduate Student. 08/15/2015 - present.
  • Matthew Horan, Graduate Student. 08/15/2015 - 04/30/2017.

Presentations

  • Reichler, T. and M. Horan (2017): On the Seasonality of Sudden Stratospheric Warmings, AGU Fall meeting 2017, A52F Large-Scale Atmospheric Dynamics and Chemistry and Their Interactions with Climate, New Orleans, LA, 11-15 December. Conference Paper, Presented, 01/2017.
  • Horan, M., and T. Reichler (2017): The seasonal timing of stratospheric sudden warmings, EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria, April 17-22. Conference Paper, Presented, 01/2017.
  • Heslin, S, and T. Reichler (2017): Low-frequency variations of extreme stratospheric circulation events, University of Utah Undergraduate Research Symposium, Salt Lake City. Conference Paper, Presented, 01/2017.
  • Wu, Z., and T. Reichler (2017): Role of Surface Forcing for Stratosphere-Troposphere Coupling in an Idealized Model, AMS 21st Conference on Atmospheric and Oceanic Fluid Dynamics and 19th Conference on Middle Atmosphere, Portland, June 26-30. Conference Paper, Presented, 01/2017.
  • Reichler, T. (2017): Dynamical Coupling Between the Middle Atmosphere and Arctic Sea Ice, AMS 21st Conference on Atmospheric and Oceanic Fluid Dynamics and 19th Conference on Middle Atmosphere, Portland, June 26-30. Conference Paper, Presented, 01/2017.
  • Horan, M., and T. Reichler (2017): Modeling Seasonal Stratospheric Sudden Warming Climatology Based on Polar Vortex Statistics, AMS 21st Conference on Atmospheric and Oceanic Fluid Dynamics and 19th Conference on Middle Atmosphere, Portland, June 26-30. Conference Paper, Presented, 01/2017.
  • Plink-Bjorklund, P. and T. Reichler (2017): Global hotspots of river erosion under global warming, AGU Fall meeting 2017, EP51E Response of earth surface and subsurface processes to rare, extreme events, New Orleans, LA, 11-15 December. Conference Paper, Presented, 01/2017.
  • Rees, K. N., T. J. Garrett, T. Reichler, and P. W. Staten (2016): Evaluation of a Simple Theoretical Expression for Hadley Cell Width, AGU Fall meeting 2016, A53F Tropical Circulations and Their Sensitivities to Changes in Climate II, San Francisco, CA, 16 December. Conference Paper, Presented, 12/2016.
  • Reichler, T. (2016): Role of Stratospheric Extreme Events for Arctic and Antarctic Sea Ice, AGU Fall meeting 2016, San Francisco, CA, 16 December. Conference Paper, Presented, 12/2016.
  • Wu, Z., and T. Reichler, (2016): Towards a More Earth-like Circulation in a Dry Dynamical Core Model, AGU Fall meeting 2016, A065. Leveraging Model Hierarchies to Understand the Climate System, San Francisco, CA, 14 December. Conference Paper, Presented, 12/2016.
  • Wu, Z. and T. Reichler (2016): Towards a More Earth-like Circulation in a Dynamical Core Model, Dynamical Core Model Intercomparison Project workshop, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, 6-17 June. Conference Paper, Presented, 06/2016.
  • Reichler, T. (2016): Stratospheric Impacts on Arctic Sea Ice, EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria, April 17-22. Conference Paper, Presented, 04/2016.
  • Fitzgerald, J. and T. Reichler (2016): Contrasting the Impact of Arctic and Antarctic Stratospheric Sudden Warmings, 96th AMS annual meeting, 28th Conference on Climate Variability and Change, Session 3: Arctic Circulation and Sea-Ice Variability and Trends, New Orleans (LA), 10-14 January. Conference Paper, Presented, 01/2016.

Grants, Contracts & Research Gifts

  • Measuring the global tropopause by satellite: uncertainties, structure, and variability. PI: Thomas Reichler. NASA, 09/01/2007 - 08/31/2010. Total project budget to date: $84,000.00

Languages

  • French, basic.
  • German, fluent.
  • Spanish, functional.

Geographical Regions of Interest

  • South America

Publications

  • Zheng Wu (2019). Surface control of the frequency of stratospheric sudden warming events. J. Climate. Accepted, 03/03/2019.
  • A. Wiedensohler (2018). Black Carbon Emission and Transport Mechanisms to the Free Troposphere at the La Paz/El Alto (Bolivia) Metropolitan Area: A Case Study based on the Day of Census 2012. Atmospheric Environment. Published, 11/12/2018.
  • Martin Jucker (2018). Dynamical Precursors for Statistical Prediction of Stratospheric Sudden Warming Events. Geophys. Res. Lett.,. Published, 10/31/2018.
  • Zheng Wu (2018). Towards a More Earth-like Circulation in Idealized Models. J. Adv. Model. Earth Sys. Published, 03/31/2018.
  • Zhao, B., T. Reichler, C. Strong, and C. Penland (2017): Simultaneous evolution of gyre and Atlantic meridional overturning circulation anomalies as an eigenmode of the North Atlantic system, J. Climate, 30, 6737-6755. Published, 01/2017.
  • Horan, M. F., and T. Reichler (2017): Modeling seasonal stratospheric sudden warming climatology based on polar vortex statistics, J. Climate, 30, 10101-10116. Published, 01/2017.
  • Reichler, T. (2016): Poleward Expansion of the Atmospheric Circulation, in: Climate change, 2nd edition, T. M. Letcher, Ed., pp. 79-104. Published, 05/2016.
  • Ohara, Noriaki, Johnson, Ryan & Reichler, Thomas (2015). Dynamic Equilibrium Inter-Annual Snow Modeling Based on Energy-Balance Equations for the Bolivian Andes. American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). 994-998. Published, 2015.
  • Kim, J., and T. Reichler (2015): Quantifying the uncertainty of the annular mode time scale and the role of the stratosphere, Clim. Dyn., DOI: 10.1007/s00382-015-2860-2. Published, 05/2015.
  • Juang, H., S. Chen, S. Hong, H. Kanamaru, T. Reichler, T. Enomoto, D. Putrasahan, B. Anderson, S. Gershunov, H. Li, K. Yoshimura, N. Buenning, and D. Boomer (2014): Regional Spectral Model Workshop in Memory of John Roads and Masao Kanamitsu, Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc... Published, 12/2014.
  • Lu, Jian, Reichler, Thomas & Staten, Paul W. (2014). The transient circulation response to radiative forcings and sea surface warming. American Meteorological Society. 141006071055006. Published, 2014.
  • Anderson, Bruce T., Boomer, Diane, Buenning, Nikolaus, Chen, Shyh-Chin, Enomoto, Takeshi, Gershunov, Sasha, Hong, Songyou, Juang, Hann-Ming Henry, Kanamaru, Hideki, Li, Haiqin, Putrasahan, Dian, Reichler, Thomas & Yoshimura, Kei (2014). Regional Spectral Model Workshop in Memory of John Roads and Masao Kanamitsu. American Meteorological Society. Vol. 95(3), ES61-ES65. Published, 2014.
  • Staten, Paul W. & Reichler, Thomas (2014). On the ratio between shifts in the eddy-driven jet and the Hadley cell edge. Springer Science + Business Media. Vol. 42(5-6), 1229-1242. Published, 2014.
  • Staten, P. W., T. Reichler, and J. Lu (2014): The transient circulation response to radiative forcings and surface warming, J. Climate, 27, 9323-9336. Published, 09/2014.
  • Baldwin, Mark P., Birner, Thomas, Black, Robert X., Butler, Amy H., Calvo, Natalia, Charlton-Perez, Andrew J., Christiansen, Bo, Davis, Nicholas A., Gerber, Edwin P., Gillett, Nathan, Hardiman, Steven, Kim, Junsu, Krüger, Kirstin, Lee, Yun-Young, Lott, François, Manzini, Elisa, McDaniel, Brent A., Polvani, Lorenzo, Reichler, Thomas, Shaw, Tiffany A., Shindell, Drew, Sigmond, Michael, Son, Seok-Woo, Toohey, Matthew, Watanabe, Shingo, Wilcox, Laura, Yoden, Shigeo & Yukimoto, Seiji (2013). On the lack of stratospheric dynamical variability in low-top versions of the CMIP5 models: STRATOSPHERE IN CMIP5 MODELS. Wiley-Blackwell. Vol. 118(6), 2494-2505. Published, 2013.
  • Schmidt, Hauke, Esch, Monika, Rast, Sebastian, Bader, Jürgen, Kornblueh, Luis, Giorgetta, Marco, Kinne, Stefan, Brokopf, Renate, Lohmann, Ulrike, Pincus, Robert, Roeckner, Erich, Stevens, Bjorn, Fast, Irina, Salzmann, Marc, Mauritsen, Thorsten, Block, Karoline, Reichler, Thomas & Crueger, Traute (2013). Atmospheric component of the MPI-M Earth System Model: ECHAM6: ECHAM6. Wiley-Blackwell. Vol. 5(2), 146-172. Published, 2013.
  • Anderson, Bruce T., Boomer, Diane, Buenning, Nikolaus, Chen, Shyh-Chin, Enomoto, Takeshi, Gershunov, Sasha, Hong, Songyou, Juang, Hann-Ming Henry, Kanamaru, Hideki, Li, Haiqin, Putrasahan, Dian, Reichler, Thomas & Yoshimura, Kei (2013). Regional Spectral Model Workshop in Memory of John Roads and Masao Kanamitsu. American Meteorological Society. 131118120357000. Published, 2013.
  • Staten, P. W., and T. Reichler (2013): On the ratio between shifts in the eddy-driven jet and the Hadley cell edge, Clim. Dyn., DOI: 10.1007/s00383-013-1905-7. Published, 09/2013.
  • Stevens, B., et al. (2013): The Atmospheric Component of the MPI-M Earth System Model: ECHAM6, J. Adv. Model. Earth Syst. (JAMES) DOI: 10.1002/jame.20015. Published, 03/2013.
  • Charlton-Perez, A. et al. (2013): On the lack of stratospheric dynamical variability in low-top versions of the CMIP5 models, J. Geophys. Res., DOI: 10.1002/jgrd.50125. Published, 02/2013.
  • Manzini, Elisa, Kröger, Jürgen, Reichler, Thomas & Kim, Junsu (2012). A stratospheric connection to Atlantic climate variability. Nature Publishing Group. Vol. 5(11), 783-787. Published, 2012.
  • Wang, Shih-Yu, Gillies, Robert R. & Reichler, Thomas (2012). Multidecadal Drought Cycles in the Great Basin Recorded by the Great Salt Lake: Modulation from a Transition-Phase Teleconnection. American Meteorological Society. Vol. 25(5), 1711-1721. Published, 2012.
  • Lu, Jian, Reichler, Thomas, Rutz, Jonathan J. & Staten, Paul W. (2012). Breaking down the tropospheric circulation response by forcing. Springer Science + Business Media. Vol. 39(9-10), 2361-2375. Published, 2012.
  • Reichler, T., J. Kim, E. Manzini, and J. Kroeger (2012): A Stratospheric Connection to Atlantic Climate Variability, Nature Geos., 783-787, doi: 10.1038/ngeo1586. Published, 11/2012.
  • Wang, S.-Y., R. Gillies, and T. Reichler (2012): Multi-decadal drought cycles recorded by the Great Salt Lake: A transition-phase teleconnection perspective, J. Climate, 25 (5), 1711-1721. Published, 06/2012.
  • Pennell, Christopher & Reichler, Thomas (2011). On the Effective Number of Climate Models. American Meteorological Society. Vol. 24(9), 2358-2367. Published, 2011.
  • Staten, P. W., J. Rutz, T. Reichler, and J. Lu (2011): Breaking down the tropospheric circulation response by forcing, Clim. Dyn., DOI-10.1007/s00382-011-1267-y. Published, 12/2011.
  • Martin, G. M., Ineson, S., Kim, J., Brooks, M. E., Milton, S. F., Reichler, T. & Senior, C. A. (2010). Analysis and Reduction of Systematic Errors through a Seamless Approach to Modeling Weather and Climate. American Meteorological Society. Vol. 23(22), 5933-5957. Published, 2010.
  • Martin G., C. Senior, S. Ineson, P. James, S. Milton, M. Brooks, T. Reichler, and J. Kim (2010): Analysis and reduction of systematic errors through a seamless approach to modelling weather and climate, J. Climate. Published, 11/2010.
  • Reichler, T., J. Kim (2010): Validation of tropospheric and stratospheric climate. In: SPARC Report on Evaluation of Chemistry Climate Models (CCMVal), Eyring, V., T. Shepherd, D. Waugh (ed.) (peer-reviewed). Published, 08/2010.
  • Reichler, T., J. Kim (2010): Ozone variability in the extratropics. In: SPARC Report on Evaluation of Chemistry Climate Models (CCMVal), Eyring, V., T. Shepherd, D. Waugh (ed.) (peer-reviewed). Published, 08/2010.
    http://uufs/chpc.utah.edu/common/home/u0440157/pub...
  • Reichler, Thomas, Deser, Clara & Lu, Jian (2009). Cause of the widening of the tropical belt since 1958. Wiley-Blackwell. Vol. 36(3). Published, 2009.
  • Reichler, Thomas & Staten, Paul W. (2009). Apparent precision of GPS radio occultation temperatures. Wiley-Blackwell. Vol. 36(24). Published, 2009.
  • Staten P. W. and T. Reichler (2009): Apparent precision of GPS radio occultation temperatures, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L24806, doi:10.1029/2009GL041046. Published, 2009.
  • Lu, J., C. Deser, and T. Reichler (2009): Cause of the widening of the tropical belt since 1958, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L03803, doi:10.1029/2008GL036076. Published, 2009.
  • Austin, John & Reichler, Thomas J. (2008). Long-term evolution of the cold point tropical tropopause: Simulation results and attribution analysis. Wiley-Blackwell. Vol. 113. Published, 2008.
  • Kim, Junsu & Reichler, Thomas (2008). How Well Do Coupled Models Simulate Today's Climate?. American Meteorological Society. Vol. 89(3), 303-311. Published, 2008.
  • Reichler, Thomas & Staten, Paul W. (2008). Use of radio occultation for long-term tropopause studies: Uncertainties, biases, and instabilities. Wiley-Blackwell. Vol. 113. Published, 2008.
  • Kim, Junsu & Reichler, Thomas (2008). Uncertainties in the climate mean state of global observations, reanalyses, and the GFDL climate model: UNCERTAINTIES IN THE CLIMATE MEAN. Wiley-Blackwell. Vol. 113(D5). Published, 2008.
  • Kim, Junsu & Reichler, Thomas (2008). Supplement to How Well Do Coupled Models Simulate Today's Climate?. American Meteorological Society. Vol. 89(3), S1-S6. Published, 2008.
  • Lu, Jian, Vecchi, Gabriel A. & Reichler, Thomas (2007). Expansion of the Hadley cell under global warming. Wiley-Blackwell. Vol. 34(6). Published, 2007.
  • Lu, Jian, Reichler, Thomas & Vecchi, Gabriel A. (2007). Correction to “Expansion of the Hadley cell under global warming”. Wiley-Blackwell. Vol. 34(14). Published, 2007.
  • Dian J. Seidel, Qiang Fu, William J. Randel & Thomas J. Reichler (2007). Widening of the tropical belt in a changing climate. Nature Publishing Group. Vol. 1(1), 21-24. Published, 2007.
  • Fu, Q. (2006). Enhanced Mid-Latitude Tropospheric Warming in Satellite Measurements. American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Vol. 312(5777), 1179-1179. Published, 2006.
  • Roads, John O. & Reichler, Thomas (2005). Long-Range Predictability in the Tropics. Part I: Monthly Averages. American Meteorological Society. Vol. 18(5), 619-633. Published, 2005.
  • Roads, John O. & Reichler, Thomas (2005). Long-Range Predictability in the Tropics. Part II: 30–60-Day Variability. American Meteorological Society. Vol. 18(5), 634-650. Published, 2005.
  • Reichler, Thomas, Polvani, Lorenzo M. & Kushner, Paul J. (2005). The Coupled Stratosphere–Troposphere Response to Impulsive Forcing from the Troposphere. American Meteorological Society. Vol. 62(9), 3337-3352. Published, 2005.
  • Roads, John O. & Reichler, Thomas (2004). Time–Space Distribution of Long-Range Atmospheric Predictability. American Meteorological Society. Vol. 61(3), 249-263. Published, 2004.