Tropical weather: an evolutionary game

Presented on March 3, 2026, by

Professor Brian Mapes
Department of Atmospheric Sciences
Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science
University of Miami

ABSTRACT:

The “why” science of tropical deep convective clouds is easy: radiation drives, water is the bearer of solar energy, so cloudy convection “must” happen. But WHEN, and WHERE? These questions lead the viewers’ mind on an experimental-music and visual data-drenched journey, comprising 3 movements of growing scale. A Day over a Mountain simply points a camera and speeds up time. The puzzle of clear-air wave redistribution raises game-theoretic questions about the next-larger scales, and A Winner’s Tale views from space the drama of an infamous protagonist crossing the Atlantic. Endless Parade scales up to the vast Pacific, and returns to the ultimate source; while voicing the humanity of the scientific enterprise, a puzzling and sometimes slow process of learning, and learning to trust learning.