About
I am a fifth-year Ph.D. Candidate working with Prof. Gang Chen in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). I am broadly interested in atmospheric circulation dynamics, with research experiences covering sudden stratospheric warming (SSW), atmospheric blocking, surface air temperature variability, etc. These pursuits share a common theme: how do atmospheric dynamics contribute to weather and climate extremes? My current focus is on the role of the stratosphere in surface cold extremes.
Leveraging observations and a hierarchy of climate models, we identified a stratospheric wave precursor for cold extremes over North America. This wave precursor is distinct from SSWs in terms of its timescale, vertical structure, and surface signature. Notably, it holds greater relevance for North American cold extremes on subseasonal timescales. These findings have important implications for improving predictions of severe cold spells, which would ultimately benefit critical sectors including agriculture, transportation, energy planning, and public health.
Publications
- Xiuyuan Ding, Gang Chen and Weiming Ma, 2023: Stratosphere-Troposphere Coupling of Extreme Stratospheric Wave Activity in CMIP6 Models, Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 128, e2023JD038811. Editor’s Highlight
- Xiuyuan Ding, Gang Chen, Pengfei Zhang, Daniela I.V. Domeisen and Clara Orbe, 2023: Extreme stratospheric wave activity as harbingers of cold events over North America, Communications Earth & Envrionment, 4, 187. Behind the Paper
- Xiuyuan Ding, Gang Chen, Lantao Sun and Pengfei Zhang, 2022: Distinct North American Cooling Signatures Following the Zonally Symmetric and Asymmetric Modes of Winter Stratospheric Variability, Geophysical Research Letters, 49, e2021GL096076.