Background

I was born in Seoul, Korea, in 1968. After completing a B.Sc. degree in Oceanography from Inha University, Incheon, Korea in 1991, I moved to Norfolk, Virginia and Old Dominion University to pursue studies in tropical ocean dynamics under a supervision of Gabe Csanady. After my Ph.D. in 1995, I moved back to Korea and spent six years as a senior research engineer for Samsung Heavy Industries. In 2002, I came to AOML/NOAA as a CIMAS/UM postdoc. I am curently working at AOML/NOAA as a CIMAS/UM asssociate research scientist.

Research Interests

My research interests focus on understanding the fundamental mechanisms governing tropical atmosphere-ocean dynamics and their impacts on the Earth's climate. Mathematical models such as Atmosphere-Ocean General Ciruclation Models and simple models are my preferred research tools. Currently, my research lies in the areas of Atlantic climate variability, namely Atlantic warm pool, Atlantic-Nino, ENSO-teleconnections, and Atlantic meridional overturning circulation.

Current and Pending Research Projects

Diagnostic and Modeling Studies on Impacts, Mechanisms and Predictability of the Atlantic Warm Pool (NOAA/CPPA Current)

Improving Predictability of the Atlantic Warm Pool in Ocean Model for Assistance to Operational Hurricane Forecast (NOAA/JHT Current)

What Causes the Tropical Atlantic SST Bias in CCSM3? (NSF Current)

Publications

Lee, S.-K., D. B. Enfield and C. Wang, 2010. Future Impact of Differential Inter-Basin Ocean Warming on Atlantic Hurricanes. Climate Dynamics, Submitted.

Lee, S.-K. and C. Wang, 2010. Comment on "Impact of Shifting Patterns of Pacific Ocean Warming on North Atlantic Tropical Cyclones". Science, Submitted.

Wang C. and S.-K. Lee, 2010. Out-of-phase Relationship between Tropical Cyclones in the North Atlantic and the Eastern North Pacific. EOS,Submitted.

Lee, S.-K. and C. Wang, 2010. Delayed Advective Oscillation of the Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation. Journal of Climate, In press.

Wang, C., S.-K. Lee and C. R. Mechoso, 2010. Inter-Hemispheric Influence of the Atlantic Warm Pool on the Southeastern Pacific. Journal of Climate, 23, 404-418.

Wang C. and S.-K. Lee, 2009. Co-variability of Tropical Cyclones in the North Atlantic and the Eastern North Pacific. Geophysical Research Letters, 36, L24702, doi:10.1029/2009GL041469.

DiNezio, P. N., A. C. Clement, G. A. Vecchi, B. J. Soden, B. P. Kirtman, and S.-K. Lee, 2009. Climate Response of the Equatorial Pacific to Global Warming. Journal of Climate, 22, 4873-4892.

Wang, C. and S.-K. Lee, 2009. Reply to comment by Joseph J. Barsugli on "Global warming and United States landfalling hurricanes". Geophysical Research Letters, 36, L01706, doi:10.1029/2008GL035111.

Lee, S.-K., C. Wang and B. E. Mapes, 2009. A Simple Atmospheric Model of the Local and Teleconnection Responses to Tropical Heating Anomalies. Journal of Climate, 22, 272-284.

Lee, S.-K., D. B. Enfield and C. Wang, 2008. Why Do Some El Ninos Have No Impact on Tropical North Atlantic SST? Geophysical Research Letters, 35, L16705, doi:10.1029/2008GL034734.

Wang, C., S.-K. Lee and D. B. Enfield, 2008. Atlantic Warm Pool Acting as a Link between Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation and Atlantic Tropical Cyclone Activity. Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst., 9, Q05V03, doi:10.1029/2007GC001809. (In the special issue of "Interactions between climate and tropical cyclones on all timescales")

Wang, C., S.-K. Lee and D. B. Enfield, 2008. Climate Response to Anomalously Large and Small Atlantic Warm Pools During the Summer. Journal of Climate, 21, 2437-2450.

Lee, S.-K. and C. Wang, 2008. Tropical Atlantic Decadal Oscillation and Its Impact on the Equatorial Atmosphere-Ocean Dynamics: A Simple Model Study. Journal of Physical Oceanography, Vol. 38, No. 1, 193-212.

Wang, C. and S.-K. Lee, 2008. Global Warming and United States Landfalling Hurricanes. Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 35, No. L02708, doi:10.1029/2007GL032396.

Wang, C., S.-K. Lee and D. B. Enfield, 2007. Impact of the Atlantic Warm Pool on the Summer Climate of the Western Hemisphere . Journal of Climate, Vol. 20, No. 20, 5021-5040.

Lee, S.-K., D. B. Enfield and C. Wang, 2007. What Drives Seasonal Onset and Decay of the Western Hemisphere Warm Pool?. Journal of Climate, Vol. 20, No. 10, 2133-2146.

Wang, C. and S.-K. Lee, 2007. Atlantic Warm Pool, Caribbean Low-Level Jet, and Their Potential Impact on Atlantic Hurricanes. Geophysical Research Letter, Vol. 34, No. L02703, doi:10.1029/2006GL028579.

Pelegri, J.L., J.H. Churchill, A.D. Kirwan, Jr., S.-K. Lee, R.E. Munn and N.R. Pettigrew, 2006. Gabriel T. Csanady: Understanding the Physics of the Ocean. Progress in Oceanography, Vol. 70, No. 2-4, 91-112.

Wang, C., D. B. Enfield, S.-K. Lee, C. W. Landsea, 2006. Influences of Atlantic Warm Pool on Western Hemisphere Summer Rainfall and Atlantic Hurricanes. Journal of Climate, Vol. 19, No. 12, 3011-3028.

Enfield, D. B., S.-K. Lee, C. Wang, 2006. How Are Large Western Hemisphere Warm Pools Formed?. Progress in Oceanography, Vol. 70, No. 2-4, 346-365.

Lee, S.-K., D. B. Enfield, C. Wang, 2005. Ocean General Circulation Model Sensitivity Experiments on the Annual Cycle of Western Hemisphere Warm Pool. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 110, No. C09004, doi:10.1029/2004JC002640.

Enfield, D. B., S.-K. Lee, 2005. The Heat Balance of the Western Hemisphere Warm Pool. Journal of Climate, Vol. 18, No. 14, 2662-2681.

Thacker, C.W., S.-K. Lee, G.R. Halliwell Jr., 2004. Assimilating 20 years of Atlantic XBT Data into HYCOM: A First Look. Ocean modeling, Vol. 7, No. 2, 183-210.

Lee, S.-K., J.L. Pelegri, J. Kroll, 2001. Slope Control in Western Boundary Currents. Journal of Physical Oceanography, Vol. 31, No. 11, 3,349-3,360.

Lee, S.-K., 2001. On the Structure of Supercritical Western Boundary Currents. Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans, Vol. 33, 303-319.

Lee, S.-K., G.T.Csanady, 1999. Warm Water Formation and Escape in the Upper Tropical Atlantic Ocean: Part I. A Literature Review. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 104, No. c12, 29,561-29,571.

Lee, S.-K., G.T.Csanady, 1999. Warm Water Formation and Escape in the Upper Tropical Atlantic Ocean: Part II. A Numerical Model Study. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 104, No. c12, 29573-29590.

Lee, S.-K., 1999. Self-excited Variability of the East Korean Warm Current: A Quasi-Geostrophic Model Study. Journal of Korean Society of Oceanography , Vol. 34, No. 1, 1-21.

Lee, S.-K., G.T. Csanady, 1994. Instability Waves in the Gulf Stream Front and its Thermocline Layer. Journal of Marine Research, Vol. 52, 837-863.

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