Radiative Energy Budget Studies Using Observations from the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE)

Our research activities under this NASA grant have focused on two broad topics associated with the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE): (1) the role of clouds and the surface in modifying the radiative balance; and (2) the spatial and temporal variability of the earth's radiation budget. Each of these broad topics is discussed separately in the text that follows. The major points of the thesis are summarized in section 3 of this report. Other dissertation focuses on deriving the radiation budget over the TOGA COARE region

Associations between West Pacific equatorial zonal winds and East Pacific SST anomalies

May 1990.Includes bibliographical references.Temporal relationships between atmospheric circulations in the equatorial West Pacific and sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) in the East Pacific are examined for all phases of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation cycle. Strong correlations between time series of low-level zonal wind anomalies in the equatorial West Pacific and SSTAs over a broad area of the equatorial Ea.st Pacific are shown to exist during all phases of the interannual SST cycle, including El Ninos, La Ninas, and periods of near normal temperatures. Fluctuations of low-level zonal wind anomalies precede changes in SSTAs, suggesting a simple cause and effect relationship. A similar but weaker relationship exists between East Pacific SSTAs and anomalous tropical cyclone activity in the West Pacific, as measured by tropical cyclone days. Weaker correlations with low-level winds and tropical cyclone activity exist for SST anomalies from a smaller area in the extreme eastern Pacific. West Pacific low-level winds and tropical cyclone activity are also compared to the Southern Oscillation. An interpretation of all these associations is presented. It is suggested that long term fluctuations of low-level zonal winds in the equatorial West Pacific directly modulate SSTs in the equatorial Ea.st Pacific through the ocean Kelvin waves they excite while the ocean Rossby waves they excite are negligible in comparison (the wind of the stress associated with the low-level zonal winds may drive anomalous equatorial zonal ocean currents which also directly influence SSTs). Finally, it is speculated that the combined influences of several phenomena not directly associated with El Nino-Southern Oscillation circulations in the Pacific are the primary modulators of the interannual low-level wind fluctuations. In other words, it is suggested that the interannual fluctuations of low-level winds in the equatorial West Pacific are not necessarily part of feedback loops within the Pacific basin alone.Sponsored by NSF ATM-8814373

Predictors of the long-term course of comorbid PTSD: A naturalistic prospective study

OBJECTIVES: The study examined the long-term course of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by analyzing rates of recurrence and the predictive value of comorbid psychiatric disorders and psychosocial functioning. METHODS: This study is based on diagnostic assessments administered at intake and subsequent follow-up interviews over a period of 15 years in a sample of 90 anxiety-disordered patients with comorbid PTSD who participated in the Harvard Brown Anxiety Research project (HARP). Kaplan–Meier life table analysis revealed a 0.20 probability of full remission during the 15 years of follow-up. RESULTS: Latent growth model (LGM) analysis revealed that the number of trauma exposures was a predictor of a worse course of PTSD but only during some intervals of the 15-year follow-up. Subjects with full social phobia were more likely to experience worsening of PTSD over time in comparison with subjects with less severe social phobia. Role functioning in the areas of household and employment was a significant predictor of a declining course of PTSD. CONCLUSIONS: These findings revealed the dynamic nature of the predictive value of traumatic experiences, the deleterious effect of social phobia and the long term effect of psychosocial functioning on the course of PTSD. Implications for treatment planning and development of interventions for PTSD are discussed