2003 B.S., Meteorology Emphasis. University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO

Current research on Great Salt Lake annual and diurnal temperature cycles using AVHRR and MODIS satellite data. Research Interests: Limnological-meteorological interactions, synoptic meteorology,and complex-terrain meteorology

Current research is on the thermal characteristics of Great Salt Lake(GSL) water temperatures using the NOAA/NASA Pathfinder Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) sea surface temperature data set at 1.2 (2003-04) and 4.0 km(1985-2002) resolution. Modis data at 4.65 km resolution was also used for 8-day averages from 2002-04 and 1-km resolution Modis data from February 2000 until the present will also be utilized. Lake surface temperatures for both the ascending and descending modes of NOAA polar-orbiting satellites were obtained. Results so far indicate that the GSL average yearly temperature cycle has an amplitude of 24 degrees Celsius, with average mid-winter surface temperatures less than 1 degree Celsius and average summer surface temperatures of nearly 25 degrees Celsius. GSL temperature trends show considerable variability as the lake temperatures are strongly coupled to transient weather patterns. Lake temperature variability is highest during the late winter and spring and lowest during the fall. An average diurnal cycle of 1-2 degrees Celsius in lake surfacemtemperature, derived using the temperature difference between the daytime and nighttime satellite passes, exists from February through September, with no significant diurnal signal at other times. The seasonal variations in the diurnal range in surface temperature are likely tied to seasonal variations in thermal stratification of the shallow lake. For more information on this research go to Erik's personal page and click on the Great Salt Lake Temperatures link under research.