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Dr. Yury V Vikhliaev

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Dr. Yury V Vikhliaev

  • RESEARCH ASSOC
  • 301.614.5927
  • NASA/GSFC
  • Mail Code: 610.1
  • Greenbelt , MD 20771
  • Employer: SCIENCE SYSTEMS AND APPLICATIONS INC

    • Brief Bio

    Dr. Yury Vikhliaev received his masters degree in applied math and physics from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology in 1996, with specialization in geophysical fluid dynamics and oceanography. From 1996 to 1999 he was a research assistant in the Geological Institution of Russian Academy of Science, where he worked on reconstruction of history of sedimentary basins and participated in creation of geo-information database of tectonic maps of the Pre-Kaspian Sedimentary Basin. From 1997 to 1999 he was employed at SOVGEOINFO as an operational technician and participated in creation of geo-information database of topographic maps of Russia. He received his Ph.D. degree in Climate Dynamics from George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, in January 2006. His Ph.D. research was focused on understanding the decadal climate variability in the Pacific Basin and analysis of low frequency dynamical modes in numerical climate models using the breeding technique. Upon graduation, Dr. Vikhliaev held the position of Research Scientist at the Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies, Calverton, Virginia. His work was focused on understanding climate noise and climate predictability using coupled general circulation model simulations. For five years, Dr. Vikhliaev was a Research Associate with GEST/UMBC; subsequently, he joined GESTAR/Universities Space Research Association in May 2011. While with GEST, he developed a coupled climate model for NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office. He continues his work on coupled climate modeling in collaboration with NASA/GMAO, and conducts a research of climate variability and predictability on interannual-to decadal time scales. Since March 2019, Dr. Vikhliaev takes a position of Lead Research Scientist at Science Systems and Applications Inc. (SSAI).

    Research Interests

    Climate dynamics.

    Extensive knowledge in physics of ocean, atmosphere and climate dynamics.

    Climate modeling.

    Ten years of research experience in climate modeling, climate variability and predictability as a member of international team.

    Current Projects

    Coupled climate modeling.

    Dr. Vikhliaev's task is coupled climate modeling. A goal of this task is development of the GEOS-5 Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Model (GEOS-5 AOGCM) and research in climate variability and predictability on interannual-to-decadal time scales. The GEOS-5 AOGCM is a coupled climate model developed at the NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO). The GEOS-5 AOGCM is designed to simulate climate variability on a wide range of time scales, from synoptic time scales to multi-century climate change. The main components of the GEOS-5 AOGCM are the atmospheric model, the catchment land surface model, both developed by the GMAO, MOM5, the ocean model developed by the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory and CICE4, the sea ice model developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The model is used at the GMAO for assimilation of climate data, climate predictions and for basic climate research. Currently, the model produces a realistic, stable mean climate and interannual climate variability, however, there are some deficiencies that have to be addressed. To improve the model performance, Dr. Vikhliaev conducts and analyzes multi-decadal high resolution climate simulations. This task also includes providing assistance to other researchers in conducting numerical experiments using the GEOS-5 AOGCM.

    Positions/Employment

    3/2019 - Present

    Lead Research Scientist

    Science Systems and Applications Inc., Greenbelt, MD, USA

    Coupled climate modeling.

    5/2011 - 3/2019

    Research Scientist, Research Scientist II

    Universities Space Research Assosiation, NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office, Greenbelt, MD, USA
    • Climate modeling.
    • Research in climate variability and predictability of Earth climate on inter-annual and decadal time scales.
    11/2006 - 5/2011

    Research Associate

    Goddard Earth Science and Technology Center, NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office, Greenbelt, MD, USA
    • Development of the Atmosphere Ocean General Circulation Climate Model.
    • Research in climate variability.
    1/2006 - 11/2006

    Ph.D. research scientist, optional practical training program

    Center for Ocean Land and Atmosphere Studies (COLA), Calverton, MD, USA
    • Study of climate noise and climate predictability. The results of this research allowed to make conclusions about the limit of climate predictability, and about improvements necessary to make in climate models to extend this limit.
    • Implementation of advanced data assimilation algorithm in a numerical climate model.
    9/2001 - 1/2006

    Graduate Research Assistant

    George Mason University, Center for Ocean Land and Atmosphere Studies (COLA), Calverton, MD, USA
    • Research in climate variability on interannual and decadal time scales, based on methods for finding dominant dynamical modes in climate system.
    • Research on barotropic-baroclinic splitting in the Poseidon ocean model. Implemented an Alternate Direction Implicit algorithm for the barotropic mode.
    • Porting the Poseidon ocean model to Beowulf cluster at George Mason University.
    9/1999 - 5/2001

    Graduate Research Assistant

    George Mason University, Seasonal to Interannual Earth Science Information Partnership (SIESIP), Fairfax, VA, USA

    Organization and support of online meta-data collection for climate data sets.

    9/1997 - 8/1999

    Operational Technician

    SOVGEOINFO, Moscow, Russia

    Participated in creation of geo-information database of topographic maps of Russia.

    9/1996 - 8/1999

    Research Assistant

    Geological Institution of Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, Russia
    • Research on the reconstruction of history of the Pre-Kaspian sedimentary basin.
    • Participated in creation of geo-information database of tectonic maps of the Pre-Kaspian sedimentary basin.

    Education

    George Mason University—Fairfax, Virginia, USA
    Ph.D. in Climate Dynamics, 1999-2006

    • Concentrations: climate variability on interannual and decadal time scales.
    • Thesis title: Extra-Tropical Pacific Decadal Variability

    Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology—Moscow, Russia
    Major in Applied Physics and Mathematics, 1990-1996

    • Concentrations: geophysical fluid dynamics, physics of ocean and atmosphere, Earth tectonics, evolution of sedimentary basins.
    • Diploma title: Modeling of Pressure Evolution in Sedimentary Basins

    Awards

    • Outstanding Performance Award for exceptional efforts to configure and tune the GEOS-5 AOGCM in readiness for CMIP5 simulations. NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office, Goddard Earth Science and Technology Center, March 2011.
    • Outstanding Performance Award for concerted efforts in preparing CMIP5 output to be distributed on the Earth System Grid. NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office, Goddard Earth Science and Technology Center, March 2011.
    • Outstanding Performance Award for his exceptional efforts in finalizing the GEOS-5 AOGCM for the decadal prediction suite. NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office, GESTAR/USRA, January 2012.

    Other Professional Information

    Google scholar h-index: 4

    Total number of publications: 8

    Selected Publications

    Refereed

    Borovikov, A., R. Cullather, R. Kovach, et al. J. Marshak, G. Vernieres, Y. Vikhliaev, B. Zhao, and Z. Li. 2017. "GEOS-5 seasonal forecast system." Climate Dynamics, [10.1007/s00382-017-3835-2]

    Li, F., Y. V. Vikhliaev, P. Newman, et al. S. Pawson, J. Perlwitz, D. W. Waugh, and A. R. Douglass. 2016. "Impacts of Interactive Stratospheric Chemistry on Antarctic and Southern Ocean Climate Change in the Goddard Earth Observing System - Version 5 (GEOS-5)." Journal of Climate, 29 (9): 3199–3218 [10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0572.1]

    Ham, Y.-G., S. Schubert, Y. Vikhliaev, and M. Suarez. 2014. "An assessment of the ENSO forecast skill of GEOS-5 system." Clim. Dynam, 43: 2415-2430 [10.1007/s00382-014-2063-2]

    Ham, Y.-G., M. M. Rienecker, M. J. Suarez, et al. Y. V. Vikhliaev, B. Zhao, J. Marshak, G. R. Vernieres, and S. D. Schubert. 2014. "Decadal prediction skill in the GEOS-5 forecast system." Clim Dyn, 42 (1-2): 1-20 [10.1007/s00382-013-1858-x]

    Vikhliaev, Y. V., P. Schopf, T. DelSole, and B. Kirtman. 2007. "Finding Multiple Basin Modes in a Linear Ocean Model." Journal of Atmosphere and Ocean Technology, 24: pp. 1033-1049.

    Vikhliaev, Y. V., and B. Kirtman. 2007. "Decadal North Pacific Bred Verctors in a Coupled GCM." Journal of Climate, 20 (23): pp. 5744-5764.

    Suarez, M. J., A. L. Trayanov, C. Hill, P. S. Schopf, and Y. V. Vikhliaev. 2007. "MAPL: A high-level programming paradigm to support more rapid and robust encoding of hierarchical trees of interacting high-performance components." 2007 symposium on Component and framework technology in high-performance and scientific computing, pp. 11-20 [10.1145/1297385.1297388]

    Non-Refereed

    Bosilovich, M. G., S. R. Akella, L. Coy, et al. R. I. Cullather, C. S. Draper, R. Gelaro, R. M. Kovach, Q. Liu, A. M. Molod, P. M. Norris, K. Wargan, C. Yang, R. H. Reichle, L. L. Takacs, Y. V. Vikhliaev, S. C. Bloom, A. Collow, S. Firth, G. J. Labow, G. S. Partyka, S. Pawson, O. Reale, S. D. Schubert, and M. J. Suarez. 2015. "MERRA-2: Initial Evaluation of the Climate." NASA Technical Report Series on Global Modeling and Data Assimilation 43 (NASA/TM–2015–10): 139 pp.

    Gelaro, R., W. M. Putman, S. Pawson, et al. C. S. Draper, A. M. Molod, P. M. Norris, L. E. Ott, N. C. Privé, O. Reale, D. Achuthavarier, M. G. Bosilovich, V. J. Buchard, W. C. Chao, L. Coy, R. I. Cullather, A. M. Da Silva, A. S. Darmenov, R. M. Errico, M. Fuentes, M.-J. Kim, R. D. Koster, W. R. Mccarty, J. Nattala, G. S. Partyka, S. D. Schubert, G. R. Vernieres, Y. V. Vikhliaev, and K. Wargan. 2015. "Evaluation of the 7-km GEOS-5 Nature Run." NASA Technical Report Series on Global Modeling and Data Assimilation 36 (NASA/TM-2014-104606):

    Talks, Presentations and Posters

    Invited

    NOAA Climate Test Bed Joint Seminar Series: GEOS5 AOGCM, by Yury Vikhliaev, Max Suarez and Michele Rienecker, Calverton, Maryland. Presentation.

     11 / 2010

    Other

    GMAO Science Meeting: Sub-seasonal to Seasonal Predictions , by Yury Vikhliaev, Andrea Molod, Eric Hackert, Robin Kovach, Bin Zhao, Richard Cullater, Lena Marshak, Zhao Li, Donifan Barahona

     6 / 22 / 2017

    GMAO Science Meeting, Model Theme: GEOS5 AOGCM: Update, by Yury Vikhliaev, Andrea Molod, Deepthi Achuthavarier and Bin Zhao, NASA Goddard. Presentation.

     11 / 13 / 2014

    World Climate Research Programme Open Science Conference: Evaluation of the Short-Term Climate Variability in GEOS-5 AOGCM Simulations, by Yury Vikhliaev, Max Suarez, Andrea Molod, Bin Zhao, Michele Rienecker and Siegfried Schubert, Denver, Colorado. Poster Session.

     10 / 2011

    GMAO Science Meeting, Model Theme: GEOS5 AOGCM: Update, by Yury Vikhliaev, February 3, 2011, NASA Goddard. Presentation.

     2 / 3 / 2011

    Decadal Climate Variability Workshop: North Pacific Bred Vectors in a Coupled GCM, by Yury Vikhliaev, Ben Kirtman and Paul Schopf, Warrenton, Virginia. Poster session.

     10 / 2005

    Decadal Climate Variability Workshop: Finding Multiple Basin Modes in Linear Ocean Models, by Yury Vikhliaev, Paul Schopf and Tim DelSole, Waicoloa Village, Hawaii. Poster session.

     3 / 2004

    Brief Bio

    Dr. Yury Vikhliaev received his masters degree in applied math and physics from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology in 1996, with specialization in geophysical fluid dynamics and oceanography. From 1996 to 1999 he was a research assistant in the Geological Institution of Russian Academy of Science, where he worked on reconstruction of history of sedimentary basins and participated in creation of geo-information database of tectonic maps of the Pre-Kaspian Sedimentary Basin. From 1997 to 1999 he was employed at SOVGEOINFO as an operational technician and participated in creation of geo-information database of topographic maps of Russia. He received his Ph.D. degree in Climate Dynamics from George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, in January 2006. His Ph.D. research was focused on understanding the decadal climate variability in the Pacific Basin and analysis of low frequency dynamical modes in numerical climate models using the breeding technique. Upon graduation, Dr. Vikhliaev held the position of Research Scientist at the Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies, Calverton, Virginia. His work was focused on understanding climate noise and climate predictability using coupled general circulation model simulations. For five years, Dr. Vikhliaev was a Research Associate with GEST/UMBC; subsequently, he joined GESTAR/Universities Space Research Association in May 2011. While with GEST, he developed a coupled climate model for NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office. He continues his work on coupled climate modeling in collaboration with NASA/GMAO, and conducts a research of climate variability and predictability on interannual-to decadal time scales. Since March 2019, Dr. Vikhliaev takes a position of Lead Research Scientist at Science Systems and Applications Inc. (SSAI).

    Selected Publications

    Refereed

    Borovikov, A., R. Cullather, R. Kovach, et al. J. Marshak, G. Vernieres, Y. Vikhliaev, B. Zhao, and Z. Li. 2017. "GEOS-5 seasonal forecast system." Climate Dynamics [10.1007/s00382-017-3835-2]

    Li, F., Y. V. Vikhliaev, P. Newman, et al. S. Pawson, J. Perlwitz, D. W. Waugh, and A. R. Douglass. 2016. "Impacts of Interactive Stratospheric Chemistry on Antarctic and Southern Ocean Climate Change in the Goddard Earth Observing System - Version 5 (GEOS-5)." Journal of Climate 29 (9): 3199–3218 [10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0572.1]

    Ham, Y.-G., S. Schubert, Y. Vikhliaev, and M. Suarez. 2014. "An assessment of the ENSO forecast skill of GEOS-5 system." Clim. Dynam 43 2415-2430 [10.1007/s00382-014-2063-2]

    Ham, Y.-G., M. M. Rienecker, M. J. Suarez, et al. Y. V. Vikhliaev, B. Zhao, J. Marshak, G. R. Vernieres, and S. D. Schubert. 2014. "Decadal prediction skill in the GEOS-5 forecast system." Clim Dyn 42 (1-2): 1-20 [10.1007/s00382-013-1858-x]

    Vikhliaev, Y. V., P. Schopf, T. DelSole, and B. Kirtman. 2007. "Finding Multiple Basin Modes in a Linear Ocean Model." Journal of Atmosphere and Ocean Technology 24 pp. 1033-1049

    Vikhliaev, Y. V., and B. Kirtman. 2007. "Decadal North Pacific Bred Verctors in a Coupled GCM." Journal of Climate 20 (23): pp. 5744-5764

    Suarez, M. J., A. L. Trayanov, C. Hill, P. S. Schopf, and Y. V. Vikhliaev. 2007. "MAPL: A high-level programming paradigm to support more rapid and robust encoding of hierarchical trees of interacting high-performance components." 2007 symposium on Component and framework technology in high-performance and scientific computing pp. 11-20 [10.1145/1297385.1297388]

    Non-Refereed

    Bosilovich, M. G., S. R. Akella, L. Coy, et al. R. I. Cullather, C. S. Draper, R. Gelaro, R. M. Kovach, Q. Liu, A. M. Molod, P. M. Norris, K. Wargan, C. Yang, R. H. Reichle, L. L. Takacs, Y. V. Vikhliaev, S. C. Bloom, A. Collow, S. Firth, G. J. Labow, G. S. Partyka, S. Pawson, O. Reale, S. D. Schubert, and M. J. Suarez. 2015. "MERRA-2: Initial Evaluation of the Climate." NASA Technical Report Series on Global Modeling and Data Assimilation 43 (NASA/TM–2015–10) 139 pp.

    Gelaro, R., W. M. Putman, S. Pawson, et al. C. S. Draper, A. M. Molod, P. M. Norris, L. E. Ott, N. C. Privé, O. Reale, D. Achuthavarier, M. G. Bosilovich, V. J. Buchard, W. C. Chao, L. Coy, R. I. Cullather, A. M. Da Silva, A. S. Darmenov, R. M. Errico, M. Fuentes, M.-J. Kim, R. D. Koster, W. R. Mccarty, J. Nattala, G. S. Partyka, S. D. Schubert, G. R. Vernieres, Y. V. Vikhliaev, and K. Wargan. 2015. "Evaluation of the 7-km GEOS-5 Nature Run." NASA Technical Report Series on Global Modeling and Data Assimilation 36 (NASA/TM-2014-104606):

                                                                                                                                                                                            
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    • Last Updated: 03/24/2023