Research Focus
Dynamical systems, applied mathematics
I'm interested in applied dynamical systems, especially with regard to applications in ecology and climate. My work is motivated by modeling the climate of Earth and other planets using conceptual climate models. Conceptual models identify predominant mechanisms affecting planetary climate and give rise to a host of mathematical questions. These models have also contributed to scientists’ understanding of a wide range of climate phenomena on Earth (such as how increased greenhouse gas emissions will affect global temperature) and other planets (such as the stability of Pluto’s nitrogen glaciers). Analyzing conceptual climate models requires techniques from the fields of smooth and nonsmooth dynamical systems, celestial mechanics, harmonic analysis, and data analysis. The results of my work will advance mathematical knowledge of these topics and provide tools for scientists to validate hypotheses about planetary climate.
Publications
- Stable asymmetric ice belts in an energy balance model of Pluto, (with E. Jaschke), Icarus. 331: (2019), p. 15-25.
- A simple formula for calculating a planet's mean annual insolation by latitude, (with R. McGehee), Icarus. 291: (2017) p. 46-50.