24 March, 2006
Abstract
Today I finished my dissertation and gave the first copy to one of my committee members. I plan to give copies to the rest of the committee tomorrow. (I couldn't today because it takes a long time to print 122 pages on an ink jet)
The abstract for my dissertation/seminar is now public, so I'll post it here if anyone is interested in knowing more about what I've been working on for the past 3 years.
By the way, all of you are invited to my seminar on Tuesday March 28 at 3:30 PM in Sarkey's Energy Center (SEC) A235. I'll likely be challenging some long-held beliefs of people in the room. It should be interesting, especially if there are a lot of skeptics.
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The Uncoupled Surface Layer
One of the greatest challenges faced by weather forecasters is the large spatial variability of temperature that occurs at small scales, particularly on clear nights with light wind. The physical processes that create this variability were analyzed using 3 years of meteorological observations from the Crosstimber Micronet, an automated microscale surface observation network in central Oklahoma.
The observations revealed extreme microscale temperature gradients (i.e., > 10°C across less than 200 m of land) across the Micronet. These gradients were shown to be created by the unique surface energy balance within a turbulence-free layer of air that sometimes develops near the ground. This layer is called the uncoupled surface layer (USL).
Based on the surface energy budget and parameterizations derived from observations of the USL at the Micronet, the Uncoupled Surface Layer forecast model (USL model) was developed to predict near-surface temperatures on clear nights. The USL model represents a new approach to temperature forecasting that, heretofore, has not been documented in the scientific literature.
Nine diverse locations across central Oklahoma, central California, and southern California were selected for verification of forecasts by the USL model on clear nights from June-December 2005. These forecasts were compared with concurrent forecasts by operational Model Output Statistics (MOS), a well-respected forecasting technique used operationally for decades.
Forecasts by the USL model were 0.5-4.1°C (21-72%) more accurate than those by MOS. The largest improvements over MOS were observed at the Crosstimber Micronet (72%) and Cuyama, California (67%). Both are located in sheltered valleys that are considered very favorable for development of the USL. The USL model also substantially outperformed MOS at locations that are considered less favorable for USL development (e.g., urban areas along the Pacific Coast).
The accuracy of the USL model confirms that the uncoupled surface layer is an important feature of the near-surface nocturnal boundary layer at a wide variety of locations. The results also suggest that the USL model is likely to have a significant impact on the future of nighttime temperature forecasting.
16 March, 2006
Adventure in New Orleans
I spent most of last night and this morning on Bourbon Street in New Orleans (literally on the street). Couldn't find a hotel room. Didn't sleep at all. No, I was not partying or drinking. While I was there I talked to one of the local "workers" who flagged me down. That was interesting.
I spent the first half of the night driving around the most dangerous neighborhoods in New Orleans (including the notorious Magnolia housing project, my main destination -- yes, I know it's an unhealthy addiction but I love it). Around 2:30 I got tired of driving so I wanted to get out and walk around for a while. Hence, I went to Bourbon Street, probably the only safe place in New Orleans for walking around alone at 2:30-5 AM.
Then I spent the rest of the morning looking at the hurricane damage. Wow! Hard to believe!! (I will post pictures later.) I didn't hear much about Katrina while I was in England. But now I understand how big it was. It was one of the saddest things I've ever seen.
I am in San Antonio now.
15 March, 2006
Louisiana
I had an interesting day today in Louisiana. When I crossed into the state near Shreveport I went to the visitors' center.
The lady who worked there asked where I was from and I said "San Jose". She told me that her daughter used to live in SJ. Then she told me that her daughter is single and that I should go visit her, and she gave me a map and drew the route to where (in Shreveport) her daughter was currently working.
People here are friendly. I probably would've gone to meet her if I wasn't already interested in someone.
14 March, 2006
Dissertation
Today I sent the final chapter of my dissertation to my advsior. After he reviews it, I will do a quick revision and give it to my committee next week. Then I'll be finished, except for the seminar on March 28 and the defense on April 13.
It feels weird to have spent so much time working on something that only a few people will read. It will be in the OU library and the National Library of Wales, but it will most likely be classified as confidential, so nobody will be able to see it.
13 March, 2006
Trip to favorite place in the world
I've been to a lot of places in my life, but a couple nights ago I was reminded that my favorite place on earth is only about 15 miles east of here. It was the first time I'd been to my land at night since I left for England. I had been several times during the day since I've been back, but this was the first time at night.
There's nothing like being out there at night. I've studied nighttime temperatures there for the past 3+ years, but somehow I'm always surprised when I step out of the car and feel the blast of cold air. Then I look at station #18 and think about the fact that I'm standing at the place that's measuring the lowest temperature in Oklahoma.
It's always neat to feel the temperature change when I walk up the hill. Sometimes I'm lucky enough to be out there on a night when it only takes 2 or 3 steps in one direction to feel the temperature go up by 10+ degrees.
Alright, so maybe there's not a lot there but a little cabin, 6 weather stations, lots of trees, and some "unusable" swamp land. But for someone who loves microclimates as much as I do, it's like Disneyland.
08 March, 2006
Almost done
There were times when I didn't think this day would come, but it's here. I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. My dissertation is almost finished. Only 5-10 pages left to go. My seminar (where I present my work to the school) is set for March 28. And today I set a tentative date of April 13 for the dissertation defense. If I pass that I'll be done with the Ph.D.
During June I hope to celebrate by visiting all the cities/towns that I studied in my dissertation: Little Axe and El Reno, Oklahoma, and Madera, Barstow, Bishop, Cuyama, Morgan Hill, Santa Barbara, and Santa Monica, California.
I'm also considering a trip back to the UK.
03 March, 2006
From Spain, living in France?
I just thought about something kinda weird. When the United States first became a country, the places where I've lived were not a part of it.
My home town did exist shortly after that. But it was not part of the United States. In 1777, it became the first town in Nueva California, a province of Nueva España (New Spain).
Before and after that, the place where I now live belonged to France!
Spain and France still exist of course. I've seen a lot of France and been very close to Spain. But while I was there it never occurred to me that those countries once owned the land where I've lived.
Sleep
As the readers of this blog probably know already, I had a lot of trouble sleeping when I lived in Reading, especially at Windsor Hall. I think it was mostly because of being kept up all night by loud drunk people across the hall. That and having to get up early for class every day.
So now I'm back in my quiet house. No drunk freshers. No 4AM rants about George W. Bush. No loud dance music during the middle of the night. No early classes. You'd think I'd have no trouble sleeping anymore. But the past week or so has been very tough.
I think the problem is that there are so many exciting things happening in my life right now, and most seem to happen fairly late at night. That can make sleeping difficult. But it's a problem I don't mind having.
