Ben Barr

Ben Barr

Postdoctoral Investigator

Woods Hole Oceanogrpahic Institution

My research focuses on fluxes and physical processes in the air-sea transition zone and how they influence atmospheric systems such as hurricanes and extratropical cyclones. I am particularly interested in the physics of air-sea interaction in high winds, where phenomena such as wave breaking and sea spray ejection push the limits of current understanding and modeling capability. I work to extend scientific knowledge and predictive power for these challenging topics by developing process-based parameterizations and model coupling strategies and performing numerical experiments to explore the complex interactions connecting storms to air-sea processes. While at WHOI for my postdoc, I am also exploring techniques to make the difficult observations critically needed to understand high-wind air-sea interface physics and to calibrate models. I view improvement of process parameterizations and atmosphere-wave-ocean model coupling strategies as a critical opportunity for enhancing our understanding of the air-sea transition zone in severe weather systems and our ability to protect the people and built environments that are impacted by severe weather events.

Interests
  • Sea Sprays
  • Tropical Cyclones
  • Coupled Modeling
  • Air-Sea Interaction
Education
  • PhD in Atmospheric Sciences, 2023

    University of Washington

  • MS in Mechanical Engineering, 2012

    University of Texas, Austin

  • BS in HydMechanical Engineeringrology, 2010

    University of Texas, Austin