Physical Oceanography

Yonggang Liu

Yonggang Liu
Associate Professor
Physical Oceanography
PhD, University of South Florida
Postdoc, University of Washington
Office Phone: 727-553-3508
Email: yliu@usf.edu
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Ocean Circulation Lab 

 

 

 

Research: ocean circulation; coastal ocean observing; coupled wave-current modeling; Karenia brevis red tide; storm surge; hurricane intensification; water quality; Sargassum tracking; loop current

Dr. Yonggang Liu is a physical oceanographer, aiming at better understanding the coastal ocean circulation and air-sea interactions on the West Florida Shelf, including the exchanges of water properties between the estuaries, the shelf, and the offshore (Loop Current) system.  He is interested in applying the scientific research to marine environmental issues of societal importance, such as red tide, hurricane intensification, storm surge, water quality, Sargassum, and oil spill.

His team maintains a coordinated coastal ocean observing and modeling program. The observing component includes (1) the long-term moored array on the West Florida Shelf as the core of the Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System (COMPS) for real-time met/ocean data , and (2) the Tampa Bay Observing Network (TBON) for real-time water quality monitoring.  The modeling component consists of fully 3D unstructured grid numerical models, the West Florida Coastal Ocean Model (WFCOM), the Tampa Bay Coastal Ocean Model (TBCOM), and the East Florida Shelf Coastal Ocean Model (EFCOM), all set to be automated nowcast/forecast systems, providing realistic forecast of three-dimensional ocean circulation. These modeling systems are used to forecast water level fluctuations (storm surge) along the entire Florida coast and the northeastern Gulf, and to track red tide and Sargassum.

Dr. Liu currently serves as an Editor for AMS Journal Artificial Intelligence for the Earth Systems, and a Guest Editor for Ocean Science.  He is on the Science Committee of the Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (SECOORA).