Vanda Grubišić

Associate Research Professor
Division of Atmospheric Sciences

Dr. Grubišić's research is in the field of mesoscale atmospheric dynamics focusing on airflow and precipitation processes in complex terrain. In her research she makes extensive use of mesoscale numerical models. Combining numerical modeling with either theoretical analysis or observational data analysis from field campaigns she has studied dynamics of phenomena such as atmospheric wakes, gravity-wave critical levels, atmospheric cellular convection, orographic precipitation, and mountain lee waves and rotors. She has extensive experience with observational work in atmospheric sciences, including the conduct and management of major mountain meteorology field campaigns.

Dr. Grubišić is currently project director and principal investigator for the Terrain-induced Rotor Experiment (T-REX), a multi-year effort with major funding from the National Science Foundation to study mountain-wave induced rotors in Owens Valley in the lee of Sierra Nevada in eastern California. Major past studies include rotor studies in the Sierra Rotors project in Owens Valley in 2004, airflow and potential vorticity generation in the wake of the Alps in the Mesoscale Alpine Programme experiment in 1999, and wake formation in Hawaii in HaRP in 1990.

Dr. Grubišić runs the Mesosocale Dynamics and Modeling Laboratory (MDML) at DRI focusing on numerical modeling and visualization of mesoscale atmospheric phenomena. She has also initiated and led the state-wide program in Advanced Computing in Environmental Science (ACES), which has created new capabilities for multidisciplinary research in Nevada, centered on computer modeling, scientific visualization, and other data-intensive techniques in environmental research. She directs the ACES VisLab, the state-of-the-art visualization laboratory established by the ACES program.

RESEARCH AREAS:

• Mesoscale Dynamic Meteorology, Mountain Meteorology, Mesoscale Numerical Modeling, Scientific Visualization

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:

Grubišić, V., and B.J. Billings, 2007:

The intense lee-wave rotor event of Sierra Rotors IOP 8. J. Atmos. Sci., In press.

Grubišić, V., and B.J. Billings, 2007:

Climatology of the Sierra Nevada mountain wave events. Mon. Wea. Rev., In press.

Grubišić, V., and M. Orlić, 2007:

Early observations of rotor clouds by Andrija Mohorovičić. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 88, 693-700.

Grubišić, V., R.K Vellore, A.W. Huggins, 2005:

Quantitative precipitation forecasting of wintertime storms in the Sierra Nevada: Sensitivity to the microphysical parameterization and horizontal resolution. Mon. Wea. Rev., 133, 2834-2859.

Grubišić, V., 2004:

Bora-driven potential vorticity banners over the Adriatic. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 130, 2571-2603.

Grubišić, V., and J. Lewis, 2004:

Sierra Wave Project revisited: 50 years later. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 85, 1127-1142.

Grubišić, V., and M.W. Moncrieff, 2000:

Parameterization of convective momentum transport in highly baroclinic conditions. J. Atmos. Sci., 57, 3035-3049.

Grubišić, V., and P.K. Smolarkiewicz, 1997:

The effect of critical levels on 3D orographic flows: Linear regime. J. Atmos. Sci., 54, 1943-1960.

Grubišić, V., R.B. Smith, and C. Schär, 1995:

The effect of bottom friction on shallow-water flow past an isolated obstacle. J. Atmos. Sci., 52, 1985–2005.