Physical Oceanography Division

Research interests

Dr. Lee's research interests focus on understanding the mechanisms governing global atmosphere-ocean dynamics and their impacts on climate. Mathematical models such as general circulation models and simple models are Dr. Lee's preferred research tools. Currently, Dr. Lee's research lies in the areas of large-scale atmosphere-ocean processes conducive to extreme weather events and Atlantic meridional overturning circulation.

Work in progress

Cheon, W. G., Y.-G. Park, J. R. Toggweiler, and S.-K. Lee, 2013: The relationship of Weddell polynya and open-ocean deep convection to the Southern Hemisphere westerlies. Submitted.

Liu, Y., S.-K. Lee, C. Wang, D. B. Enfield, B. A. Muhling and J. T. Lamkin, 2013: Impact of the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation on North Atlantic Ocean circulation variability. Submitted.

Ji, X., J. D. Neelin, S.-K. Lee and C. R. Mechoso, 2013. Interhemispheric teleconnections from tropical heat sources in intermediate and simple models. Submitted.

Wang, C., L. Zhang, S.-K. Lee, C. R. Mechoso, L. Wu, 2013: A global perspective on climate model biases. Submitted.

Zhang L., C. Wang and S.-K. Lee, 2013: Potential role of Atlantic warm pool-induced freshwater forcing in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation: Ocean-sea ice coupled model simulations. Submitted.

Publications

Lee, S.-K., C. R. Mechoso, C. Wang and J. D. Neelin, 2013: Interhemispheric influence of the northern summer monsoons on the southern subtropical anticyclone. J. Climate, In-press.

Lee, S.-K., R. Atlas, D. B. Enfield, C. Wang and H. Liu, 2013: Is there an optimal ENSO pattern that enhances large-scale atmospheric processes conducive to major tornado outbreaks in the U.S.? J. Climate, 26, 1626-1642. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-12-00128.1. [highlighted in Feb, 2013 issue of Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society as Paper in Note]

Liu, H., C. Wang, S.-K. Lee and D. B. Enfield, 2013: Atlantic warm pool variability in the CMIP5 simulations. J. Climate, 26, 5315-5336, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-12-00556.1.

Menary M. B, C. D. Roberts, M. D. Palmer, P. R. Halloran, L. Jackson, R. A. Wood, W. A. Mueller, D. Matei and S.-K. Lee, 2013: Mechanisms of aerosol-forced AMOC variability in a state of the art climate model. J. Geophys. Res., 118, 2087-2096, doi:10.1002/jgrc.20178.

Wang, C., L. Zhang, S.-K. Lee, 2013: Response of freshwater and sea surface salinity to variability of the Atlantic warm pool. J. Climate, 26, 1249-1267, doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-12-00284.1.

DiNezio, P. N., B. P. Kirtman, A. C. Clement, S.-K. Lee, G. A. Vecchi and A. Wittenberg, 2012: Mean climate controls on the simulated response of ENSO to increasing greenhouse gases. J. Climate, 25, 7399-7420, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00494.1.

Larson, S., S.-K. Lee, C. Wang, E.-S. Chung, and D. Enfield, 2012: Impacts of non-canonical El Nino patterns on Atlantic hurricane activity. Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, L14706, doi:10.1029/2012GL052595.

Liu, H., C. Wang, S.-K. Lee and D. B. Enfield, 2012: Atlantic warm pool variability in the IPCC twentieth-century climate simulations. J. Climate, 25, 5612-5628, doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00376.1.

Liu Y., S.-K. Lee, B. A. Muhling, J. T. Lamkin and D.B. Enfield, 2012: Significant reduction of the Loop Current in the 21st century and its impact on the Gulf of Mexico. J. Geophys. Res., 117, C05039, doi:10.1029/2011JC007555

Wang, C., S. Dong, A. T. Evan, G. R. Foltz, and S.-K. Lee, 2012: Multidecadal co-variability of North Atlantic sea surface temperature, African dust, Sahel rainfall and Atlantic hurricanes. J. Climate, 25, 5404-5415, doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00413.1.

Lee S.-K., W. Park, E. van Sebille, M. O. Baringer, C. Wang, D. B. Enfield, S. Yeager, and B. P. Kirtman, 2011: What caused the significant increase in Atlantic ocean heat content since the mid-20th century? Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L17607, doi:10.1029/2011GL048856. [highlighted in Oct. 6, 2011 issue of Nature as Community Choice]

Lee, S.-K., D. B. Enfield and C. Wang, 2011: Future impact of differential inter-basin ocean warming on Atlantic hurricanes. J. Climate, 24, 1264-1275.

Muhling, B. A., S.-K. Lee, J. T. Lamkin and Y. Liu, 2011: Predicting the effects of climate change on bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) Spawning habitat in the Gulf of Mexico. ICES J. Mar. Sci., doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsr008.

Wang, C., H. Liu, S.-K. Lee and R. Atlas, 2011: Impact of the Atlantic warm pool on United States landfalling hurricanes. Geophys. Res. Lett., doi:10.1029/2011GL049265. [highlighted in Oct. 21, 2011 issue of Sciecne as Editor's Choice]

Lee, S.-K., C. Wang and D. B. Enfield, 2010: On the impact of central Pacific warming events on Atlantic tropical storm activity. Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L17702, doi:10.1029/2010GL044459.

Lee, S.-K. and C. Wang, 2010: Delayed advective oscillation of the Atlantic thermohaline circulation. J. Climate, 23, 1254-1261.

Wang C. and S.-K. Lee, 2010: Is hurricane activity in one basin tied to another? EOS, 91, 93-94, doi:10.1029/2009ES002729.

Wang, C., S.-K. Lee and C. R. Mechoso, 2010: Inter-hemispheric influence of the Atlantic warm pool on the southeastern Pacific. J. Climate, 23, 404-418.

Wang, C., H. Liu and S.-K. Lee, 2010: The record-breaking cold temperatures during the winter of 2009/10 in the Northern Hemisphere. Atmos. Sci. Lett., doi:10.1002/asl.278.

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. J. Climate, 22, 4873-4892.

Lee, S.-K., C. Wang and B. E. Mapes, 2009: A simple atmospheric model of the local and teleconnection responses to tropical heating anomalies. J. Climate, 22, 272-284.

Wang C. and S.-K. Lee, 2009: Co-variability of tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic and the eastern North Pacific. Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L24702, doi:10.1029/2009GL041469.

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

Lee, S.-K., D. B. Enfield and C. Wang, 2008: Why do some El Ninos have no impact on tropical North Atlantic SST? Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L16705, doi:10.1029/2008GL034734.

Lee, S.-K. and C. Wang, 2008: Tropical Atlantic decadal oscillation and its impact on the equatorial atmosphere-ocean dynamics: A simple model study. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 38, 193-212.

Wang, C. and S.-K. Lee, 2008: Global warming and United States landfalling hurricanes. Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L02708, doi:10.1029/2007GL032396.

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. J. Climate, 21, 2437-2450.

Lee, S.-K., D. B. Enfield and C. Wang, 2007: What drives seasonal onset and decay of the Western Hemisphere warm pool? J. Climate, 20, 2133-2146.

Wang, C. and S.-K. Lee, 2007: Atlantic warm pool, Caribbean low-level jet, and their potential impact on Atlantic hurricanes. Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L02703, doi:10.1029/2006GL028579.

Wang, C., S.-K. Lee and D. B. Enfield, 2007: Impact of the Atlantic warm pool on the summer climate of the Western Hemisphere. J. Climate, 20, 5021-5040.

Enfield, D. B., S.-K. Lee and C. Wang, 2006: How are large Western Hemisphere warm pools formed?. Prog. Oceanogr., 70, 346-365.

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. Prog. Oceanogr., 70, 91-112.

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

Enfield, D. B. and S.-K. Lee, 2005: The heat balance of the Western Hemisphere warm pool. J. Climate, 18, 2662-2681.

Lee, S.-K., D. B. Enfield and C. Wang, 2005: Ocean General Circulation Model Sensitivity Experiments on the Annual Cycle of Western Hemisphere Warm Pool. J. Geophys. Res., 110, C09004, doi:10.1029/2004JC002640.

Thacker, C. W., S.-K. Lee and G. R. Halliwell Jr., 2004: Assimilating 20 years of Atlantic XBT data into HYCOM: A first look. Ocean model., 7, 183-210.

Lee, S.-K., J. L. Pelegri and J. Kroll, 2001. Slope control in western boundary currents. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 31, 3349-3360.

Lee, S.-K., 2001: On the structure of supercritical western boundary currents. Dynam. Atmos. Oceans, 33, 303-319.

Lee, S.-K. and G. T. Csanady, 1999: Warm water formation and escape in the upper tropical Atlantic Ocean: Part I. a literature review. J. Geophys. Res., 104, c12, 29561-29571.

Lee, S.-K. and G. T. Csanady, 1999: Warm water formation and escape in the upper tropical Atlantic Ocean: Part II. a numerical model study. J. Geophys. Res., 104, c12, 29573-29590.

Lee, S.-K., 1999: Self-excited variability of the East Korean Warm Current: A quasi-geostrophic model study. J. Korean Soc. Oceanogr., 34, 1-21.

Lee, S.-K. and G. T. Csanady, 1994: Instability waves in the Gulf Stream front and its thermocline layer. J. Mar. Res., 52, 837-863.

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