corners
Jackson School of Geosciences
Geology Department
Department of Geological SciencesBureau of Economic GeologyInstitute for Geophysics
About DGS Contacts Chairman's Welcome Directions & Map Academic Community Support & Opportunities Facilities Size & Scope Rankings Great Advances
About JSG Alumni News & Events JSG People JSG Research JSG Resources
 & Facilities
Undergrad Main Admissions Academics Careers Current Undergraduates Geoscience Courses Geo Field Trips / Courses Student Life Tutoring Program
Graduate Main Admissions & Support Academics Careers Current Grad Students Energy & Earth Resources Geoscience Courses Graduate Student Supervisors Student Life
Faculty & Research Main A-Z Faculty Directory Expertise Guide Graduate Curricular Programs Graduate Student Supervisors Research Programs & Centers Faculty Search Positions
Careers Main Career Services for Students For Recruiters Current Job Postings Funding Opportunities Recruiting Schedule List of Recruiters Placement Statistics Career Links
Resources & Facilities Computing Facilities Laboratory Contacts Geology Library Room Schedule Policies, Procedures, Forms Related UT Austin Units Vehicle Policy/Information
DGS Faculty & Scientists DGS STAFF JSG Directory Dean’s Off/Foundation BEG Staff List UTIG People UT Directory
Kerry Cook Home Publications (pdf) CV (pdf) Grad Students (pdf) 		Cook
Cook
Professor
Kerry H. Cook

Contact:
Phone: 512-232-7931
Office: JSG 5.220F

Email:
kc@jsg.utexas.edu

spacer

Climate Dynamics

My research centers on improving our physical understanding of climate variability and climate change to improve prediction on all time scales.  For the pressing concerns of greenhouse-gas induced climate change, we recognize that knowledge of rates of climate change and potential abrupt climate change mechanisms is as important as knowledge of the magnitude of climate change.  Currently, we emphasize applications over Africa, South America, and the land areas surrounding the Gulf of Mexico (central U.S., Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America).

A graduate program in Climate System Science within the Jackson School of Geosciences began in 2008.  I encourage prospective graduate students and postdocs to contact me for more information, and to express your interest.

We are developing methodology for using regional models to advance our basic understanding of how climate works and to produce climate change predictions.  We are building a coupled atmosphere/ocean/vegetation regional climate model for these applications.  Confidence in the simulations and predictions from the regional models depends on an in-depth understanding of physical processes.

An overview of some recent and current research projects:

African Climate

West African monsoon: We study the basic dynamics of the West African monsoon, and the processes that cause its variability on all time scales. Here is a study of the dynamics of the West African westerly jet.

 East African rainfall:  What determines seasonal and interannual variations in rainfall over the Greater Horn of Africa, and how might these processes change in the future?

The African Humid Period: About 6,000 -8,000 years ago, the climate of northern Africa was much wetter than today.  A short piece on the green Sahara of the African Humid period.

  21st century climate change over northern Africa: Here is a regional climate change projection.

South American Climate

South America during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; about 21,000 years ago).  The Amazon basin climate was dryer due to a delayed monsoon onset.  How did this effect the Amazon rainforest?

Climate change in the Amazon basin:  How, why and when will the vegetation change?  Will changes in the large-scale tropical circulation impact rainforest climates worldwide?


What influence does the Amazon/Orinoco River plume have on the tropical Atlantic climate?

Atlantic Hurricanes

How do African easterly waves develop into hurricanes?

Central U.S.  Hydrology
How will the hydrodynamics of the Great Plains low level jet change in the future, and how will this influence warm season rainfall in the central U.S?  Will there be abrupt changes if the Atlantic thermohaline circulation changes quickly?

What role does the Caribbean low level jet play in determining regional hydrology, and how does it interact with the Great Plains low level jet?

 

For more details, please see the publications from our group.

 
pentagonite