CGCS Directory

Research Interests:
Professor Ferrari is an oceanographer interested in the dynamics of the ocean and climate with active research efforts in the areas of atmospheric and oceanic turbulence, air-sea interactions, the energetics of the ocean circulation, the impact of ocean physics on biology, and questions of paleoclimate. In his research he uses a combination of theoretical fluid dynamics, numerical modeling, and analysis of observations. Selected Publications:
Ferrari, R., 2011: A Frontal Challenge for Climate Models, Science, 332(6027): 316-7

Ferrari, R. and D. Ferreira (2011)  What processes drive the ocean heat transport? Ocean Modelling, Vol. 38, 171-186

Nikurashin, M., and R. Ferrari (2011) Global energy conversion from geostrophic flow into internal lee waves in the deep ocean Geophys. Res. Lett., Vol. 38, L08610

Fox-Kemper, B.,, G. Danabasoglu, R. Ferrari, S. M. Griffies, R. W. Hallberg, M. M. Holland, M. E. Maltrud, S. Peacock and B. L. Samuels (2011) Parameterization of Mixed Layer Eddies. III: Implementation and Impact in Global Ocean Climate Simulations Ocean Modelling, Vol. 39, 61-78

Holmes-Cefron, M., O. Buhler, and R. Ferrari (2011) Particle dispersion by random waves in the rotating Boussinesq system J. Fluid Mech., Vol. 670, 150-175

Lund, D., J. Adkins and R. Ferrari (2011) Abyssal Atlantic Circulation during the Last Glacial Maximum Paloeoceanography, Vol. 26, PA1213

Naveira-Garabato, A., R. Ferrari, and K. Polzin (2010) Eddy Stirring in the Southern Ocean J. Geophys. Res.

Taylor, J., and R. Ferrari (2010) Buoyancy and wind-driven convection at a mixed-layer density fronts J. Phys. Oceanogr., Vol. 40, 1222-1242

Ferrari, R., S. M. Griffies, G. Nurser, and G. K. Vallis (2010) A Boundary Value Problem for the Parameterized Mesoscale Eddy Transport Ocean Modelling, Vol. 32, 143-156

Ferrari, R. and M. Nikurashin (2010) Suppression of eddy mixing across jets in the Southern Ocean J. Phys. Oceanogr., Vol. 40, 1501-1519

Mahadevan, A., A. Tandon, and R. Ferrari (2010) Rapid Changes in Stratification at Mixed Layer Fronts J. Geophys. Res,, Vol. 115, C03017

Jansen, M., R. Ferrari, and T. Mooring (2010)  Seasonal versus permanent thermocline warming by tropical cyclones Geophys. Res. Lett., Vol. 37, L03602

Ferrari, R., and C. Wunsch (2010) The distribution of eddy kinetic and potential energies in the global ocean Tellus A, Vol. 62, 92-108

Nikurashin, M., and R. Ferrari (2010) Radiation and dissipation of internal waves generated by geostrophic motions impinging on small-scale topography: Application to the Southern Ocean J. Phys. Oceanogr., Vol. 40, 2025-2042

Nikurashin, M., and R. Ferrari (2010) Radiation and dissipation of internal waves generated by geostrophic motions impinging on small-scale topography: Theory J. Phys. Oceanogr., Vol. 40, 1055-1074

Fox-Kemper, B. and R. Ferrari (2009) An Edifying Parsons’ Model J. Phys. Oceanogr., Vol. 39, 3216-3227

Jansen, M., and R. Ferrari (2009) The latitudinal distribution of tropical cyclones and ocean heat transport Geophys. Res. Lett., Vol. 36, L06604

Taylor, J., and R. Ferrari (2009) The role of secondary shear instabilities in the equilibration of symmetric instability J. Fluid Mech., Vol. 622, 103-113

Smith, S., and R. Ferrari (2009) Production and dissipation of compensated T-S variance by mesoscale stirring in the NATRE region J. Phys. Oceanogr., Vol. 39, 2477-2501

Ferrari, R. and C. Wunsch (2009) Ocean Circulation Kinetic Energy–Reservoirs, Sources and Sink Ann. Rev. Fluid Mech., Vol. 41, 253-282

Thomas, L. and R. Ferrari (2008) Friction, frontogenesis, frontal instabilities and the stratification of the ocean surface mixed layer J. Phys. Oceanogr., Vol. 38, 2501–2518

Fox-Kemper, B., and R. Ferrari (2008) Parameterization of Mixed Layer Eddies. II: Prognosis and Impact J. Phys. Oceanogr., Vol. 38, 1166-1179

Fox-Kemper, B., R. Ferrari, and R. W. Hallberg (2008) Parameterization of Mixed Layer Eddies. I: Theory and Diagnosis J. Phys. Oceanogr., Vol. 38, 1145-1165

Ferrari, R., J. C. McWilliams, V. Canuto, and D. Dubovikov (2008) Parameterization of eddy fluxes at the ocean boundaries J. Climate, Vol. 31, 2770-2789

Danabasoglu G., R. Ferrari and J. C. McWilliams (2007) Sensitivity of an Ocean General Circulation Model to a Parameterization of Near- Surface Eddy Fluxes J. Climate, Vol. 21, 1192-1208

Boccaletti G., R. Ferrari, and B. Fox-Kemper (2007) Mixed Layer Instabilities and Restratification J. Phys. Oceanogr., Vol. 37, 2228-2250

Ferrari, R., and K. L. Polzin (2005) Temperature and salinity finestructure in NATRE J. Phys. Oceanogr., Vol. 35, 1437-1454

Boccaletti G., R. Ferrari, D. Ferreira, A. Adcroft, and J. Marshall (2005) The vertical structure of the oceanic heat transport Geophys. Res. Lett., Vol. 32, L10603, 1-4

Jochum M., R. Murtugudde, R. Ferrari, and P. Rizzoli (2005) The impact of horizontal resolution on the equatorial mixed layer heat budget in ocean general circulation models J. Climate, Vol. 18, 841-851

Plumb, R., and R. Ferrari (2005) Transformed Eulerian-mean theory. I: Non-quasigeostrophic theory for eddies on a zonal mean flow J. Phys. Oceanogr., Vol. 35, 165-174

Ferrari, R., and G. Boccaletti (2004) Eddy Mixed-Layer Interaction in the Ocean Oceanography, Vol. 17, 12-21

Wunsch, C., and R. Ferrari (2004) Vertical Mixing, Energy, and the General Circulation of the Oceans Ann. Rev. Fluid Mech., Vol. 36, 281-314

Polzin, K. L., and R. Ferrari (2004) Isopycnal Dispersion in NATRE J. Phys. Oceanogr., Vol. 34, 247-257

Ferrari, R. and F. Paparella (2003) Thermohaline alignment and compensation in the ocean mixed layer J. Phys. Oceanogr., Vol. 33, 2214-2223

Fox-Kemper, B., R. Ferrari, and J. Pedlosky (2003) On the Indeterminacy of Rotational and Divergent Eddy Fluxes J. Phys. Oceanogr., Vol. 33, 875-881

Ferrari, R., and P. Cessi (2003) Seasonal synchronization in a chaotic ocean-atmosphere model J. Climate, Vol. 33, 111-137

Ferrari, R., A. J. Manfroi, and W. R. Young (2001) Weakly and strongly self-similar diffusion Physica D, Vol. 154, 478-483

Ferrari, R., and Rudnick, D.L. (2000) Thermohaline variability in the upper ocean J. Geophys. Res., Vol. 105, 16857-16883