Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences

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Melville E. Nicholls

Senior Research Scientist, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado in Boulder


E-Mail: melville.nicholls [at] colorado.edu

Mel Nicholls received an undergraduate degree in Physics from the University of Birmingham, UK in 1979, and a master’s degree in Atmospheric Physics from Imperial College, London in 1980. He moved to the United States in 1981 and studied Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University, receiving an M.S. in 1983, and a Ph. D. in 1987. He continued to work at the Department of Atmospheric Science, first as a Research Associate and then as a Research Scientist. Research interests included numerical modeling, squall lines, convective storms, gravity waves, compression waves, energy transfer, airflow around buildings, the atmospheric boundary layer, sources and sinks of carbon dioxide, infrasound and tropical cyclones. He taught classes in numerical modeling, and in extreme weather and its consequences for society. In 2006 he joined CIRES and ATOC at the University of Boulder as a Senior Research Scientist. His current research is focused on tropical cyclones and infrasound from tornadic storms.

List of Publications

Reviewed Publications

Clark, D. B., C. M. Taylor, A. J. Thorpe, R. J. Harding and M. E. Nicholls, 2003: The influence of spatial variability of boundary layer moisture on tropical squall lines. Quart. J Roy. Meteor. Soc., 129, 1101-1121.

Cotton, W.R., G.D. Alexander, R. Hertenstein, R.L. Walko, R.L. McAnelly, and M. E. Nicholls, 1995: Cloud venting. Earth Sciences Reviews, 39, 169-206.

Cotton, W. R., R. A. Pielke Sr., R. L. Walko, G. E. Liston, C. T. Tremback, H. Jiang, R. L. McAnelly, J. Y. Harrington, M. E. Nicholls, 2003: RAMS 2001: Current status and future directions. Meteor. Atmos. Phys., 82, 5-29.

Denning, A S., M. E. Nicholls, L. Prihodko, P.-L. Luigi, I. Baker, K. Davis, and P. Bakwin, 2003: Simulated and observed variations in atmospheric carbon dioxide over a Wisconsin forest. Global Change Biology, 9, 1241-1250.

Eastman, J. L., R. A. Pielke Sr., T. Fountain, M. E. Nicholls, A. Townsend Peterson, and R. Waide, 2001: Fine-tuned atmospheric model simulates hurricanes to climate change. Earth Science, July-Sepember 2001.

Johnson, R.H. and M. E. Nicholls, 1983: A composite analysis of the boundary layer accompanying a tropical squall line. Mon. Wea. Rev., 111, 308-319.

McAnelly, R.L., J.E. Nachamkin, W.R. Cotton and M.E. Nicholls, 1997: Upscale evolution of MCSs: Doppler radar analysis and analytical investigation. Mon. Wea. Rev., 125, 1083-1110.

Miller, C.E., D. Crisp, P. L. DeCola, S. C. Olsen, J. T. Randerson, A. M. Michalak, A. Alkhaled, P. Rayner, D. J. Jacob, P. Suntharalingam, D. B. A. Jones, A. S. Denning, M. E. Nicholls, S.C. Doney, S. Pawson, H. Boesch, B. J. Connor, I. Y. Fung, D. O'Brien, R. J. Salawitch, S. P. Sander, B. Sen, P. Tans, G. C. Toon, P. O. Wennberg, S. C. Wofsy, Y. L. Yung, R. M. Law, 2007: Precision requirements for space-based XCO2 data. J. Geophys. Res. - Atmos., 112 (D10314), D10314, doi:10.1029/2006JD007659.

Montgomery, M. T., M. E. Nicholls, T. A. Cram, and A. B. Saunders, 2006: A vortical hot tower route to tropical cyclogenesis. J. Atmos. Sci., 63, 355-386.

Nicholls, M. E., 1987: A comparison of the results of two-dimensional numerical simulation of a tropical squall line with observations. Mon. Wea. Rev.,115, 3055-3077.

Nicholls, M. E., and R.H. Johnson, 1984: A model of a tropical squall line boundary layer wake. J. Atmos. Sci.,41, 2774-2792.

Nicholls, M. E., and M. T. Montgomery, 2013: An examination of two pathways to tropical cyclogenesis occurring in idealized simulations with a cloud-resolving numerical model. Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 5999-6022.

Nicholls, M.E. and R.A. Pielke, 1994: Thermal compression waves. Part I: Total energy transfer. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 120, 305-332.

Nicholls, M.E. and R.A. Pielke, 1994: Thermal compression waves. Part II: Mass adjustment and vertical transfer of total energy. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 120, 333-359.

Nicholls, M. E. and R.A. Pielke, 2000: Thermally-induced compression waves and gravity waves generated by convective storms. J. Atmos. Sci. 57, 3251-3271.

Nicholls, M. E. and M. Weissbluth, 1988: A comparison of two-dimensional and quasi-three-dimensional simulations of a tropical squall line. Mon. Wea. Rev., 116, 2437-2452.

Nicholls, M. E., R. H. Johnson, and W. R. Cotton, 1988: The sensitivity of two-dimensional simulations of tropical squall lines to environmental profiles. J. Atmos. Sci., 45, 3625-3649.

Nicholls, M. E., R. A. Pielke and W.R. Cotton, 1991: A two-dimensional numerical investigation of the interaction between sea-breezes and deep convection over the Florida Peninsula. Mon. Wea. Rev., 119, 298-323.

Nicholls, M. E., R. A. Pielke, and W.R. Cotton, 1991: Thermally forced gravity waves in an atmosphere at rest. J. Atmos. Sci., 48, 1869-1884.

Nicholls, M.E., R.A. Pielke, and W.R. Cotton, 1993: Reply to comments on ``Thermally forced gravity waves in an atmosphere at rest. J. Atmos. Sci., 50, 4102.

Nicholls, M. E., R. A. Pielke and R. N. Meroney, 1993: Large eddy simulation of microburst winds flowing around a building. J. Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 46 & 47, 229-237.

Nicholls, M. E., A. S. Denning, L. Prihodko, P.-L. Luigi, I. Baker, K. Davis and P. Bakwin, 2004: A multiple-scale simulation of variations in atmospheric carbon dioxide using a coupled biosphere-atmospheric model. J. Geophys. Res., 109, D18117.

Pielke R. A. and M. E. Nicholls, 1997: Use of meteorological models in computational wind engineering. J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn., 67&68, 363-372.

Pielke, R.A., M. E. Nicholls, and A. J. Bedard, 1993: Using thermal compression waves to assess latent heating from clouds. EOS, Transactions, American Geophysical Union,  74, 493.

Pielke, R.A., W.R. Cotton, R.L. Walko, C. J. Tremback, W. A. Lyons, L. D. Grasso, M. E. Nicholls, M.D. Moran, D. A. Wesley, T.J. Lee and J.H. Copeland, 1992: A comprehensive meteorological modeling system -- RAMS. Meteor. Atmos. Phys., 49, 69-91.

Pielke, R., M.E. Nicholls, R.L. Walko, T.A. Nygaard, and X. Zeng, 1997: Several unresolved issues in numerical modeling of geophysical flows. In: Numerical Methods in Atmospheric and Oceanic Modelling, The Andre J. Robert Memorial Volume, C.A. Lin, R. Laprise, and H. Ritchie, Eds., 557-581.

Riemer, M., M.T. Montgomery, M. E. Nicholls, 2012: Further examination of the thermodynamic modification of the inflow layer of tropical cyclones by vertical wind shear. Atmos. Chem. Phys. 12, 6989-7038.

Riemer, M., M.T. Montgomery, and M.E. Nicholls, 2010: A new paradigm for intensity modification of tropical cyclones: thermodynamic impact of vertical wind shear on the inflow layer. Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10 (7), 3163-3188, issn: 1680-7316, ids: 583HD

Schecter, D.A., and M.E. Nicholls, 2010: Generation of Infrasound by Evaporating Hydrometeors  in a Cloud Model. J. Appl. Meteor. Climatol., 49 (4), 664-675, doi:10.1175/2009JAMC2226.1 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/2009JAMC2226.1),  issn: 15588424, ids: 594KU, APR 2010.

Schecter, D., M.E. Nicholls, J. Persing, A. J. Bedard and R.A. Pielke Sr., 2008: Infrasound emitted by tornado-like vortices: Basic theory and a numerical comparison to the acoustic radiation of a single-cell thunderstorm. J. Atmos. Sci., 65, 685-713.

Chapters in Books

Nicholls, M. E., 1996: Gravity waves. In: Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather. S.H. Schnieder, Editor. Oxford University Press, 365-368.

Nicholls, M.E., R.A. Pielke, J.L. Eastman, C.A. Finley, W. A. Lyons, C. J. Tremback, R.L. Walko and W.R. Cotton, 1995: Applications of the RAMS numerical model to dispersion over urban areas. In: The Effect of Urbanization on Windfields, Air Pollution Spreading, and Wind Forces. E.J. Plate, Editor. Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands, 703-732.

Pielke, R.A., J.L. Eastman, L.D. Grasso, J. B. Knowles, M.E. Nicholls, R. L. Walko, and X. Zeng, 1995: Atmospheric vortices. In: Fluid Vortices. S.I. Green, Editor. Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands, 617-650.

Preprints and Presentations

Cochran, L., J. Peterka, R. Pielke and M. Nicholls, 1996: Progress in modelling external atmospheric flows around buildings. CFD Modeling Techniques for Large Structures and Facilities, 1996 ASME Fluids Engineering Division Summer Meeting, 7-11 July 1996, San Diego, CA, 535-539.

Eastman, J.L., M.E. Nicholls, and R.A. Pielke, 1996: A numerical simulation of Hurricane Andrew. Second International Symposium on Computational Wind Engineering, 4-8 August 1996, Fort Collins, CO.

Greco, S., S.A. Wood, G.D. Emmitt, M. Nicholls, and R.A. Pielke Sr., 2000: Lidar simulations over Hurricane Bonnie using CAMEX-3 data, a lidar simulation model, and numerical model analyses. 24th Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, AMS, 29 May - 2 June, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 360-361.

 Lyons, W.A., R.L. Walko, M.E. Nicholls, R.A. Pielke, W.R. Cotton, C.S. Keen, and A.I. Watson, 1992: Observational and numerical modeling investigations of Florida thunderstorms generated by multi-scale surface thermal forcing. Preprints, 5th Conference on Mesoscale Processes, AMS, Atlanta, Georgia, January 5-10, 1992, 85-90.

Lyons, W.A., C.J. Tremback, R.L. Walko, M.E.Nicholls, I. Baker, W. Thorson, R.A. Pielke, and W.R. Cotton, 1995: Towards operational thunderstorm forecasting at the Kennedy Space Center using the parallelized version of RAMS on a workstation cluster. 6th Conference on Cloud Physics, AMS, Boston, 15-20 January, Dallas Texas

Nicholls, M. E., 2013: The influence of mesoscale mid-level vortices on deep convection and implications for tropical cyclogenesis. The 7th European Conference on Severe Storms (ECSS2013), extended abstract, session 13, 3-7 June 2013, Helsinki, Finland.

Nicholls, M.E. and R.A. Pielke, 1991: Mass adjustment and energy transport by thermal compression waves. Proceedings, Ninth Conference on Numerical Weather Prediction, Denver, Colorado, October 14-18, 1991.

Nicholls, M.E., and R.A. Pielke, 1995: A numerical investigation of the effect of vertical wind shear on tropical cyclone intensification. 21st Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, AMS, Boston, April 24-28, Miami, Florida, 339-341.

Nicholls, M. and R.A. Pielke, 1997: Presentation of results. CAMEX3 Planning Workshop, Biscayne Bay Marriott Hotel, Miami, FL, 31 March - 2 April 1997.

Nicholls, M.E., and R.A. Pielke Sr., 2000: October, November, and December CAMEX Report. Presentation to Simpson Weather Associates. February 3, 2000.

Nicholls, M.E., W.R. Cotton, and R.A. Pielke, 1990: The formation of deep gravity waves by a mesoscale convective system. Proceedings, Fourth Conference on Mesoscale Processes, Boulder, Colorado. June 25-29, 1990.

Nicholls, M.E., R.A. Pielke, and R.N. Meroney, 1992: Large eddy simulation of microburst winds flowing around a building. Proc., First International Symposium on Computational Wind Engineering, August 21-24, 1992, Tokyo, Japan.

Nicholls, M.E., R.A. Pielke, and A.J. Bedard, 1995: A technique for measuring thunderstorm intensity using thermal compression waves. IUGG XXI General Assembly, July 2-14, 1995, Boulder, Colorado.

Nicholls, M.E., J.L. Eastman, and R.A. Pielke, 1996: A numerical simulation of Hurricane Hugo. Second International Symposium on Computational Wind Engineering, 4-8 August 1996, Fort Collins, CO.

Nicholls, M., Pielke, R.A., and J.L. Eastman, 1997: Numerical simulation of Hurricane Hugo. Poster Session P1, Modeling of Tropical Cyclones, 22nd Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, Fort Collins CO, 19-23 May 1997.

Nicholls, M.E., R.A. Pielke Sr., S. Greco, and R.A. Pielke Sr., 2000: An investigation of the impact of including CAMEX-3 data on high resolution Hurricane Bonnie simulations. 24th Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, AMS, 29 May - 2 June, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 362-363.

Nicholls, M.E., R.A. Pielke Sr., and A. Bedard, 2004: Preliminary numerical simulations of infrasound generation processes by severe weather using a fully compressible numerical model. 22nd Conference on Severe Local Storms, AMS, 4-8 October 2004, Hyannis, MA.

Peterka, J.A., L.S. Cochran, R.A. Pielke, and M.E. Nicholls, 1996: Progress in modelling external atmospheric flows around buildings. 1996 ASME Fluids Engineering Division Summer Meeting, CFD Modeling Techniques for Large Structures and Facilities.

Reports

Eastman, J., R. Pielke Sr., T. Fountain, M. Nicholls, A. Townsend Peterson, and R. Waide, 2001: Fine-tuned atmospheric model simulates hurricanes to climate change. EnVision, 27, 16-17.

Nicholls, M.E. and R.A. Pielke, 1991: A numerical investigation of boundary layer development during FIFE. Prepared for Bob Grossman, CU, Boulder under a subcontract to ASTeR Inc. from NASA, September, 1991, 3 pp + appendices.

Nicholls, M.E., R.A. Pielke, and W.R. Cotton, 1990: Sea breeze-induced mesoscale systems and severe weather. Final Report on NASA Grant No. NAG5-359, June, 1990.

Pielke, R.A. and M.E. Nicholls, 1991: Task 7: Numerical modeling of air flow. Fall TAAC Summary Report, October, 1991.

Pielke, R.A., M. Segal, W.R. Cotton, and M. Nicholls, 1988: Semi-annual progress report on NASA Grant # NAG5-359. August, 1988.

Pielke, R., M. Nicholls, and A. Bedard, 1997: Task 15: Atmospheric compression waves. DoD Center for Geosciences - Phase II Annual Report (1995-1996) under Grant No. DAAH04-94-G-0420 to the U.S. Army Research Office, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, 46-64.