International Pacific Research Center | People

Kevin Hamilton

Director
Professor of Meteorology

International Pacific Research Center
School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology
University of Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii 96822

Phone: (808) 956-8327
Fax: (808) 956-9425
Email:
Webpage: http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/~kph/

Education

1981 - Ph.D., Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
1977 - M.Sc., McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
1976 - B.Sc., Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Research Interests

Observations and modeling of the global-scale circulation of the atmosphere
Climate modeling and climate change
Meteorology and chemistry of the stratosphere and mesosphere
Atmospheric and oceanic waves and tides

Professional Experience

Director, IPRC, 2010 (May)–present
Interim Director, IPRC, 2008–2010
Chair, Department of Meteorology, SOEST, University of Hawaii, 2004–2007
Professor of Meteorology, SOEST, University of Hawaii, 2000–present
Research Meteorologist, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory/NOAA, and Visiting Lecturer, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Program, Princeton University, 1988–2000
Visiting Scientist, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Program, Princeton University, 1987–88
Assistant Professor, Department of Meteorology, McGill University, 1985–87
University Research Fellow, Department of Oceanography, University of British Columbia, 1982–85
Postdoctoral Fellow, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder Colorado, 1981–82

Awards and Honors

International Association for Meteorology and Atmospheric Science (IAMAS) Presidential Lecturer, 2005
Elected Fellow of the American Meteorological Society, 2001
American Geophysical Union Jule Charney Lecturer, 2000
U.S. Department of Commerce Environmental Research Laboratories Outstanding Scientific Paper Award, 1997
American Meteorological Society Meisinger Award for "wide-ranging and prolific research on the dynamics and climate of the atmosphere and ocean," 1994
Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society President's Prize for "outstanding contributions to the atmospheric and oceanic sciences," 1992

Editorial Service

Co-chief Editor, Springer Publishing monograph series Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Library, 2003–present
Editorial Advisory Board, The Open Atmospheric Science Journal, 2007-present
Editor, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 2001–present
Editorial Advisory Board, Kluwer Publishing monograph series Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Library, 2001–2003
Associate Editor, Reviews of Geophysics, 1997–2001

Scientific Committee Chairperson

President of the International Commission on the Middle Atmosphere, 1999–2007
Co-chair of Committee on "Gravity Wave Processes and Parameterization" of the SPARC (Stratospheric Processes and their Role in Climate) Initiative of the World Climate Research Program, 1993–2007
Co-Chair of SCOSTEP EPIC ("Equatorial Processes Including Coupling") Program Working Group 1 on "Dynamics," 1999–2002

Scientific Committee Memberships

External Advisory Committee for the NCAR Earth-Sun Science Laboratory 2008-present
Executive Bureau of the Scientific Committee on Solar-Terrestrial Physics (SCOSTEP), 2007-present
External Advisory Committee for the NCAR Institute for Integrative Multidisciplinary Earth Science (TIIMES) 2005–present
American Geophysical Union Selection Committee for the Walter Sullivan and David Perlman Awards, 2000–2002
American Geophysical Union Search Committee for Journal of Geophysical Research Editors, 1999–2000
International Association for Meteorology and Atmospheric Science Executive Committee, 1999–2007
Science Advisory Panel for the Canadian Climate Research Network, 1998–2001
Scientific Steering Group for SPARC Initiative of the World Climate Research Programme, 1995–2004
Committee on "Middle Atmosphere Climatology" of the SPARC (Stratospheric Processes and their Role in Climate) Initiative of the World Climate Research Programme, 1994–2004
International Commission on the Middle Atmosphere, 1987–1995
American Meteorological Society Scientific and Technical Activities Committee for the Middle Atmosphere, 1986–1994
Canadian Atmospheric Environment Service Advisory Committee on Stratospheric Pollution, 1984–1987

Other Significant Service

Convernor for the session "Middle Atmosphere Science", 2007 IUGG General Assembly (Perugia, Italy) July 2007
Member of Scientific Program Committee for the Third IAGA/ICMA International Workshop on "Vertical Coupling in the Atmosphere/Ionosphere System", (Varna, Bulgaria) September 2006.
Co-convenor for session ``Dynamical and Chemical Coupling of the Stratosphere and Troposphere and Associated Impacts on Climate and Environmental Change'', Ninth IAMAS General Assembly (Beijing) August 2005.
Member of the Scientific Program Committee for the Tenth International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy (IAGA) General Assembly (Toulouse, France) July 2005
Member of Scientific Program Committee for AGU Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting (Honolulu, Hawaii) August 2004
Member of Program Committee for IAGA "Workshop on Vertical Coupling in the Atmosphere/Ionosphere'' (Bath, United Kingdom) July 2004
Convenor of AGU Chapman Conference on "Gravity Wave Processes and Parameterization'' (Waikaloa, Hawaii) January 2004
Member of Scientific Program Committee for AGU Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting (Wellington, New Zealand) July 2002
Co-convenor of the SCOSTEP "Equatorial Processes Including Coupling Symposium" (Kyoto, Japan) March 2002
Director of the School on "Physics of the Equatorial Atmosphere" to be held at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (Trieste, Italy) 2001
Lead Convenor for middle atmosphere symposia and workshops at the 1999 IUGG Assembly (Birmingham, UK) and the 2001 IAMAS Assembly (Innsbruck, Austria)
Director of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Gravity Wave Processes and Their Parameterization in Global Climate Models" (Santa Fe, New Mexico) April 1996

Refereed Publications

Lauer, A., and K. Hamilton, in press: Simulating clouds with global climate models: A comparison of CMIP5 results with CMIP3 and satellite data. J. Climate, IPRC-934.
Hamilton, K., 2012: Sereno Bishop, Rollo Russell, Bishop's Ring and the discovery of the "Krakatoa easterlies". Atmos.-Ocean, 50 (2), 169-175, doi:10.1080/07055900.2011.639736. IPRC-793.
Kawatani, Y., K. Hamilton, and A. Noda, 2012: The effects of changes in sea surface temperature and CO2 concentration on the quasi-biennial oscillation. J. Atmos. Sci., 69, 1734-1749, doi:10.1175/JAS-D-11-0265.1. IPRC-836.
Lauer, A., R. Bennartz, K. Hamilton, and Y. Wang, 2012: Modeling the Response of Marine Boundary Layer Clouds to Global Warming: The Impact of Subgrid-Scale Precipitation Formation. J. Climate, 25 (19), 6610-6626, doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00623.1. IPRC-867.
Zhang, C.X., Y. Wang, A. Lauer, and K. Hamilton, 2012: Configuration and Evaluation of the WRF Model for the Study of Hawaiian Regional Climate. Mon. Wea. Rev., 140, 3259-3277, doi:10.1175/MWR-D-11-00260.1. IPRC-884.
Zhang, C.X., Y. Wang, A. Lauer, K. Hamilton, and F. Xie, 2012: Cloud base and top heights in the Hawaiian region determined with satellite and ground-based measurements. Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, L15706, doi:10.1029/2012GL052355. IPRC-900.
Kawatani, Y., K. Hamilton, and S. Watanabe, 2011: The quasi-biennial oscillation in a double CO2 climate. J. Atmos. Sci., 68, 265-283.
Zhang, C., Y. Wang, and K. Hamilton, 2011: Improved representation of boundary layer clouds over the Southeast Pacific in WRF-ARW using a modified Tiedtke cumulus parameterization scheme. Mon. Wea. Rev., 139, 3489-3513.
Lauer, A., K. Hamilton, Y. Wang, V.T.J. Phillips, and R. Bennartz, 2010: The Impact of Global Warming on Marine Boundary Layer Clouds over the Eastern Pacific - A Regional Model Study. J. Climate, 23 (21), 5844-5863.
Yu, J., Y. Wang, and K. Hamilton, 2010: Response of tropical cyclone potential intensity to a global warming scenario in the IPCC AR4 CGCMs. J. Climate, 23, 1354-1373.
Lu, B., L. Pandolfo, and K. Hamilton, 2009: Nonlinear representation of the quasi-biennial oscillation. J. Atmos. Sci., 66, 1886–1904.
Boer, G. J., and K. Hamilton, 2008: QBO influence on extratropical predictive skill. Clim. Dyn., 31, 987–1000.
Geller, M., T. Zhou and K. Hamilton, 2008: Morphology of tropical upwelling in the lower stratosphere. J. Atmos. Sci., 65, 2360–2374.
Hamilton, K., S.C. Ryan, and W. Ohfuchi, 2008: Topographic effects on the solar semidiurnal surface tide simulated in a very fine resolution general circulation model. J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 113, doi:10.1029/2008JD010115.
Hamilton, K., Y.O. Takahashi, and W. Ohfuchi, 2008: The mesoscale spectrum of atmospheric motions investigated in a very fine resolution global general circulation model. J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 113, D18110, doi:10.1029/2008JD009785.
Zhou, W., and K. Hamilton, 2008: Empirical estimates of global climate sensitivity: An assessment of strategies using a coupled GCM. Advances in Atmospheric Sciences, 25, 339–347.
Annamalai, H., K. Hamilton, and K.R. Sperber, 2007: South Asian Summer Monsoon and its relationship with ENSO in the IPCC AR4 simulations. J. Climate, 20, 1071–1092.
Stowasser, M., Y. Wang, and K. Hamilton, 2007: Tropical cyclone changes in the western North Pacific in a global warming scenario. J. Climate, 20 (11), 2378–2396.
Wang, Y., L. Zhou, and K. Hamilton, 2007: Effect of convective entrainment/detrainment on simulation of tropical precipitation diurnal cycle. Mon. Wea. Rev., 135, 567–585.
Boer, G.J., M. Stowasser, and K. Hamilton, 2007: Inferring climate sensitivity from volcanic events. Clim. Dyn., 28 (5), 481–502.
Hamilton, K., 2006: High-resolution global modeling of the atmospheric circulation. Adv. in Atmos. Sci., 23, 842–856.
Hamilton, K., and W. Ohfuchi, 2006: High Resolution simulations of atmospheric and oceanic circulation, Eos, 87 (18), 176.
Stenchikov, G., K. Hamilton, R. Stouffer, B. Santer, A. Robock, V. Ramaswamy, and H. Graf, 2006: Arctic Oscillation response to volcanic eruptions in the IPCC AR4 climate models. J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 111 (D07), doi:10.1029/2005JD006286.
Stowasser, M., and K. Hamilton, 2006: Relationships between cloud radiative forcing and local meteorological variables compared in observations and several global climate models. J. Climate, 19, 4344–4359.
Stowasser, M., K. Hamilton, and G.J. Boer, 2006: Local and global climate feedbacks in models with differing climate sensitivities. J. Climate, 19, 193–209.
Takahashi, Y.O., K. Hamilton, and W. Ohfuchi, 2006: Explicit global simulation of the mesoscale spectrum of atmospheric motions. Geophys. Res. Lett., L12812, doi:10.1029/2006GL026429.
Zhou, T., M. Geller, and K. Hamilton, 2006: The roles of the Hadley circulation and downward control in tropical upwelling. J. Atmos. Sci., 63 (11), 2740-2757.
Boer, G.J., K. Hamilton, and W. Zhu, 2005: Climate sensitivity and climate change under strong forcing. Clim. Dyn., 24, 685–700.
Hamilton, K., A. Hertzog, F. Vial, and G. Stenchikov, 2004: Longitudinal variation of the stratospheric quasi-biennial oscillation. J. Atmos. Sci., 61 (4), 383–402.
Hamilton, K., R.A. Vincent, and P.T. May, 2004: The Darwin Area Wave Experiment (DAWEX) field campaign to study gravity wave generation and propagation. J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 109 (D20), D20S01, 1–15, doi:10.1029/2003JD004393.
Randel, W., P. Udelhofen, E. Fleming, M. Geller, M. Gelman, K. Hamilton, D. Karoly, D. Ortland, S. Pawson, R. Swinbank, F. Wu, M. Baldwin, M.-L. Chanin, P. Keckhut, K. Labitzke, E. Remsberg, A. Simmons, and D. Wu, 2004: The SPARC Intercomparison of Middle Atmosphere Climatologies. J. Climate, 17 (5), 986–1003.
Stenchikov, G., K. Hamilton, A. Robock, V. Ramaswamy, and M.D. Schwarzkopf, 2004: Arctic oscillation response to the 1991 Pinatubo eruption in the SKYHI general circulation model with a realistic quasi-biennial oscillation. J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 109 (D3), D0311210.1029/2003JD003699.
Hamilton, K., and W. Zhu, 2003: Large perturbations to terrestrial climate models and a simulated runaway greenhouse effect. Can. Met. & Oceanogr. Soc. Bull., 31 (1), 6–10.
Horinouchi, T., S. Pawson, K. Shibata, U. Langematz, E. Manzini, M. Giorgetta, F. Sassi, R. Wilson, K. Hamilton, J. de Grandre, and A. Scaife, 2003: Tropical cumulus convection and upward propagating waves in middle atmosphere GCMs. J. Atmos. Sci., 60 (21), 2765–2782.
Hsieh, W., and K. Hamilton, 2003: Nonlinear Singular Spectrum Analysis of the tropical stratospheric wind. Quar. J. Royal Meteor. Soc., 129, 2367–2382.
Offermann, D., M. Donner, P. Knieling, K. Hamilton, A. Menzel, B. Naujokat, and P. Winkler, 2003: Indicators of long-term changes in middle atmosphere transports. Advances in Space Research, 32, 1675–1684.
Bittner, M., D. Offermann, H.-H. Graf, M. Donner, and K. Hamilton, 2002: An 18-year time series of OH rotational temperatures and middle atmosphere decadal variations. J. Atmos. and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 64, 1147–1166.
Hamilton, K., 2002: On the Quasi-decadal Modulation of Stratospheric QBO Period. J. Climate, 15 (17), 2562–2565.
Hamilton, K., V. Balaji, and R.S. Hemler, 2002: Gravity waves generated by isolated tropical convection simulated in a cloud-resolving model. Can. Met. & Oceanogr. Soc. Bull., 30 (2), 40–44.
Hamilton, K., and W.W. Hsieh, 2002: Representation of the QBO in the tropical stratospheric wind by nonlinear principal component analysis. J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 107 ( D15), ACL3-1–10.
Stenchikov, G., A. Robock, V. Ramaswamy, M.D. Schwarzkopf, K. Hamilton and S. Ramachandran, 2002: Arctic Oscillation Response to the 1991 Mount Pinatubo Eruption: Effects of Volcanic Aerosols and Ozone Depletion. J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 107, (D24), 4803–4818.
Baldwin, M., L. Gray, T. Dunkerton, K. Hamilton, P. Haynes, W. Randel, J. Holton, M. Alexander, I. Hirota, T. Horinouchi, D. Jones, J. Kinnersley, C. Marquardt, K. Sato, and M. Takahashi, 2001: The Quasi-biennial Oscillation. Rev. of Geophys., 55, 179–229.
Hamilton, K., R. Wilson, and R. Hemler, 2001: Spontaneous QBO-like Oscillations Simulated by the GFDL SKYHI General Circulation Model. J. Atmos. Sci., 58, 3271–3292.
Koshyk, J.N., and K. Hamilton, 2001: The Horizontal Kinetic Energy Spectrum and Spectral Budget Simulated by a High-Resolution Troposphere-Stratosphere-Mesosphere GCM. J. Atmos. Sci., 58, 329–348.
Hamilton, K., 2000: Free and Forced Interannual Variability of the Circulation in the Extratropical Stratosphere. Atmospheric Science Across the Stratopause (S. Eckermann, D. Siskind and M. Summers, eds.), AGU Geophysical Monograph Series, 123, 127–139.
Hamilton, K., and S. Fan, 2000: Effects of the Stratospheric QBO on Long-Lived Greenhouse Gasses in the Troposphere. J. Geophys. Res., 105, 20,581–20,587.
Hamilton, K., and R.A. Vincent, 2000: Field experiment to examine gravity waves in the middle atmosphere. EOS, 81, 517.
Bruhwiler, L., and K. Hamilton, 1999: A Numerical Simulation of the Ozone QBO in a Comprehensive General Circulation Model. J. Geophys. Res., 104, 30,525–30,558.
Hamilton, K., 1999: Dynamical Coupling of the Middle and Lower Atmosphere: Historical Background to Current Research. J. Atmos. and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 61, 73–84.
Hamilton, K., R.J. Wilson, and R. Hemler, 1999: Middle Atmosphere Simulated with High Vertical and Horizontal Resolution Versions of a GCM: Improvement in the Cold Pole Bias and Generation of a QBO-Like Oscillation in the Tropics. J. Atmos. Sci., 56, 3829–3846.
Koshyk, J.N., B.A. Boville, K. Hamilton, E. Manzini, and K. Shibata, 1999: The Kinetic Energy Spectrum of Horizontal Motions in Middle Atmosphere Models. J. of Geophys. Res., 104, 27,177–27,190.
Koshyk, J.N., K. Hamilton, and J.D. Mahlman, 1999: Simulation of the Mesoscale Spectral Regime in the GFDL SKYHI General Circulation Model. Geophys. Res. Lett., 26, 843–846.
Hamilton, K., 1998: An Imposed Quasi-biennial Oscillation in a Comprehensive General Circulation Model: Response of the Tropical and Extratropical Circulation. J. Atmos. Sci., 55, 2393–2418.
Hamilton, K., 1998: Dynamics of the Tropical Middle Atmosphere: A Tutorial Review. Atmosphere-Ocean, 36, 319–354.
Hamilton, K., 1998: Observations of Tropical Stratospheric Winds Before World War II. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 79, 1367–1371.
Hamilton, K., 1997: Observation of an Ultra-Slow Large-Scale Wave Near the Tropical Tropopause. J. Geophys. Res., 102, 13,457–13,464.
Forbes, J.M., M.E. Hagan, X. Zhang, and K. Hamilton, 1997: Upper Atmosphere Tidal Oscillations Due to Latent Heat Release in the Tropical Troposphere. Annales Geophysicae, 15, 1165–1175.
Hamilton, K. (ed.), 1997: Gravity Wave Processes - Their Parameterization in Global Climate Models. Springer-Verlag, New York, 414 pp.
Hamilton, K., and R.S. Hemler, 1997: Appearance of a Super-Typhoon in a Global Climate Model Simulation. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 78, 2874–2876.
Jones, P.W., K. Hamilton, and R.J. Wilson, 1997: A Very High-Resolution General Circulation Model Simulation of the Global Circulation in Austral Winter. J. Atmos. Sci., 54, 1107–1116.
Hamilton, K., 1996: Tides, Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 761–764 pp.
Hamilton, K., 1996: Comprehensive Meteorological Modelling of the Middle Atmosphere: A Tutorial Review. J. Atmos. and Terrestrial Physics, 58, 1591–1628.
Wilson, R.J., and K. Hamilton, 1996: Comprehensive Model Simulation of Solar Tides in the Martian Atmosphere. J. Atmos. Sci., 53, 1290–1326.
Hamilton, K.,1995: Aspects of Mesospheric Simulation in a Comprehensive General Circulation Model. In The Upper Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere: A Review of Experiment and Theory (T. Killeen and R. Johnston, eds.), AGU Geophysical Monograph Series, 87, 255–264.
Hamilton, K., 1995: Comment on "Global QBO in Circulation and Ozone. Part I: Reexamination of Observational Evidence." J. Atmos. Sci., 52, 1834–1838.
Hamilton, K., 1995: Comprehensive Modelling of Middle Atmospheric Climate: Some Recent Results. Climate Dynamics, 11, 223–241.
Hamilton, K., 1995: Interannual Variability in the Northern Hemisphere Winter Middle Atmosphere in Control and Perturbed Experiments with the SKYHI General Circulation Model. J. Atmos. Sci., 52, 44–66.
Hamilton, K., and R.A. Vincent, 1995: High-Resolution Radiosonde Data Offer New Prospects for Research. EOS, 74, 497–507.
Hamilton, K., R.J. Wilson, J.D. Mahlman, and L.J. Umscheid, 1995: Climatology of the SKYHI Troposphere-Stratosphere-Mesosphere General Circulation Model. J. Atmos. Sci., 52, 5–43.