publications

Publications and Presentations

Journal articles
Thomas, L. N., C. M. Lee, and Y. Yoshikawa, 2008. The subpolar front of the Japan/East Sea II: Inverse method for determining the frontal vertical circulation. J. Phys. Ocean., submitted.

Thomas, L. N., and T. M. Joyce, 2008. Subduction on the northern and southern flanks of the Gulf Stream. J. Phys. Ocean., submitted.

Joyce, T. M., L. N. Thomas, and F. Bahr, 2008. Wintertime observations of SubTropical Mode Water formation within the Gulf Stream. Geophys. Res. Lett., in press.

Morel, Y., and L. N. Thomas, 2008. Ekman drift and vertical structures. Ocean Modell., in press.

Thomas, L. N., and R. Ferrari, 2008. Friction, frontogenesis, and the stratification of the surface mixed layer, J. Phys. Ocean., 38, 2501-2518. (0.9 MB PDF preprint).

Thomas, L. N., A. Tandon, and A. Mahadevan, 2008. Submesoscale processes and dynamics, In: M. Hecht, H. Hasumi (Eds.), Ocean Modeling in an Eddying Regime, Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 177, American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC, pages 17-38. (3.2 MB PDF preprint).

Thomas, L. N., 2008. Formation of intrathermocline eddies at ocean fronts by wind-driven destruction of potential vorticity, Dyn. Atmos. Ocean., 45, 252-273. (4.3 MB PDF preprint).

Mahadevan, A., L. Thomas and A. Tandon, 2008. Comment on "Eddy/Wind Interactions Stimulate Extraordinary Mid-Ocean Plankton Blooms," Science, 320, 448b. (252 KB PDF).

Lee, C. M., L. N. Thomas, and Y. Yoshikawa, 2006. Intermediate water formation at the Japan/East Sea subpolar front, Oceanography, 19, 110-121. (6.8 MB PDF).

Garcia Berdeal, I., S. L. Hautala, L. N. Thomas, and H. P. Johnson, 2006. Vertical structure of time-dependent currents in a mid-ocean ridge axial valley, Deep Sea Res. I, 53, 367-386. (1 MB PDF).

Thomas, L. N., 2005. Destruction of potential vorticity by winds, J. Phys. Ocean., 35, 2457-2466. (0.5 MB PDF). For reprints email me.

Thomas, L. N. and C. M. Lee, 2005. Intensification of ocean fronts by down-front winds, J. Phys. Ocean., 35, 1086-1102. (1.7 MB PDF). For reprints email me.

Thomas, L. N. and P. B. Rhines, 2002. Nonlinear stratified spin-up, J. Fluid Mech. 473, 211-244. (0.7MB PDF file). For reprints email me.

Thomas L., W. Pesch, and G. Ahlers, 1998. Rayleigh-Bénard convection in a homeotropically aligned nematic liquid crystal, Phys. Rev. E 58 , 5884-5897 (1.7 MB PDF).

Ph. D. Thesis

Thomas, L. N., 2003. Nonlinear dynamics of wind-driven oceanic circulation and fronts, PhD thesis, University of Washington. PDF file (5.3 MB).

Abstracts and Proceedings

Thomas, L. N., 2007. Dynamical constraints on the extreme low values of the potential vorticity in the ocean, in Proceedings of the 15th 'Aha Huliko'a Hawaiian Winter Workshop, University of Hawaii. (2.7 MB PDF preprint).

Thomas, L. N., and T. M. Joyce, 2006. Wintertime cross-sections of the Gulf Stream in CLIMODE. EOS Trans. AGU 87(36), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract OS44A-05.

Thomas, L. N., 2006. Destruction of potential vorticity by winds: implications for mode water formation. EOS Trans. AGU 87(36), Ocean Sciences Meet. Suppl., Abstract OS23F-02.

Thomas, L. N., 2005. Destruction of potential vorticity by winds, Proceedings of the 15th Conference on Atmospheric and Oceanic Fluid Dynamics, 13 - 17 June 2005, Boston, MA, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 208-211. PDF file. Watch this talk here.

Thomas, L. N. and C. M. Lee, 2004. Wind-driven frontogenesis. EOS Trans. AGU 84(52), Ocean Sciences Meet. Suppl., Abstract OS22E-08. POSTER (PDF file 3.4 MB).

Thomas, L.N., and P. B. Rhines, 2004. Preferential generation of anticyclonic vorticity by narrow wind jets. EOS Trans. AGU 84(52), Ocean Sciences Meet. Suppl., Abstract OS41D-03. . POSTER (PDF file 0.8 MB).

Thomas, L. N., C. M. Lee, and P. B. Rhines, 2002. Ekman frontogenesis: Generation of negative potential vorticity, subsequent instability, and application to the subpolar front of the Japan/East Sea. EOS Trans. AGU 83(4), Ocean Sciences Meet. Suppl., Abstract OS12O-03, 78.

Thomas, L. N. and P. B. Rhines, 2001. Modification of wind-driven circulation and stratified spin-up at ocean fronts, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Atmospheric and Oceanic Fluid Dynamics, 4 - 8 June 2001, Breckenridge, CO, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 208-211. PDF file.

Thomas, L. N., 2000. The role of convective overturning in the dynamics of upwelling (poster), EOS Trans. AGU 80(49), Ocean Sciences Meet. Suppl., Abstract OS21C-07, 80.

Invited talks/Seminars

“Destruction of potential vorticity by winds: implications for the formation of Eighteen Degree Water.” Climode 2nd PI Meeting, WHOI, September 19-20, 2005.

"Destruction of potential vorticity by winds: implications for mode water formation.” Physical Oceanography Seminar, GSO, University of Rhode Island, September 29, 2006; Physical Oceanography Seminar, WHOI, April 4, 2006; Physical Oceanography Lunch Seminar, University of Washington, October 13, 2005.

"Potential vorticity dynamics near the Equator", EPIC Model/Data Synthesis Workshop, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, May 11-13, 2005.

"Nonlinear Ekman dynamics: a link between mesoscale and small-scale turbulent processes". CLIVAR Climate Process Team on Eddy Mixed-Layer Interaction (CPT-EMILIE) Workshop, Providence, RI, November 11-12, 2004.

"Nonlinear dynamics of wind-driven oceanic circulation and fronts." Seminar Dept. of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, UCLA, February 4, 2005; Physical Oceanography Seminar, SIO, UCSD, February 2, 2005; Physical Oceanography Seminar, WHOI, Woods Hole, MA, January 13, 2005; EAPS Seminar, MIT, Cambridge, MA, January 11, 2005; Physical Oceanography Seminar, GSO, University of Rhode Island, November 8, 2004; Oceanography seminar, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, August 17, 2004; Physical Oceanography Seminar Series, Oregon State University, March 16, 2004; GFDL, Princeton, NJ, December 8, 2003.

"Nonlinear dynamics of wind-driven circulation and ocean fronts." Physical Oceanography Dissertation Symposium (PODS) II, Waikoloa, Hawaii, September 29, 2003.

"Generation of negative potential vorticity by down-front wind-stress, subsequent instability, and application to the subpolar front of the Japan/East Sea." Topics in the Atmosphere and Ocean Seminar Series, University of Victoria (Canada), November 6, 2002.

"Ekman frontogenesis: generation of negative potential vorticity, subsequent instability, and application to the subpolar front of the Japan/East Sea." Seminar, Northwest Research Associates (Bellevue, WA), August 13, 2002.

"Ekman frontogenesis: generation of negative potential vorticity, subsequent instability, and application to the subpolar front of the Japan/East Sea." Physical Oceanography Seminar Series, Oregon State University, May 21, 2002.

"Observations of large wind-stress curl from scatterometer and aircraft measurements: Implications for Ekman frontogenesis." Physical Oceanography Lunch Seminar, University of Washington, May 30, 2001.