Rui Xin Huang
Physical Oceanographer
Senior Scientist
W. Van Alan Clark, Jr., Chair
Department of Physical Oceanography
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
B.S., The University of Science and Technology of China, Beijing, Department of Modern Mechanics,
1965
Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 1984
Research Assistant, 19651978, Institution of Mechanics, Academia Sinica, Beijing, China
Self-study of English and Mathematics (Cultural Revolution in China), 19661972
Took part in translating a dictionary of physics in five languages (English, German, French, Russian,
Chinese), 1977
Postdoctoral Investigator, 1984, Department of Planetary and Atmospheric Science, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology
Visiting Scientist, 19841986; MarchJune, 1992, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (NOAA),
Princeton University
Visiting Associate Professor, JanuaryJune, 1994, University of Hawaii
Guest Professor, Qingdao Ocean University (China), 1996
Assistant Scientist, 19861990; Associate Scientist, 19901998, tenure awarded, 1993; Senior Scientist,
1998; W. Van Alan Clark, Jr., Chair for Excellence in Oceanography, 2002 , Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution
Corresponding member, U.S. WOCE Working Group on Numerical Modeling, 19891991
Chairman of the Academic Committee, the National Key Laboratory of Physical Oceanography, Qingdao
Ocean University, China, 1999Member, Advisory Academic Committee of the National Key Laboratory of Numerical Modeling for
Atmospheric Sciences and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics (LASG), Institute of Atmospheric Physics,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2001
Member, advisory committee, Ocean and Climate Change Institute, Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution, 2001
Research Interests: Theoretical and numerical study of oceanic general circulation, especially thermocline
and thermohaline circulation and their links to climate dynamics.
Author or co-author of 70 refereed scientific publications.
April 2006
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Publications
Huang, Rui Xin, and Jih-Ping Chao, 1980. A linear theory of spiral cloud bands of typhoon. Scientia
Atmospherica Sinica, 4(2) (in Chinese with English Abstract).
Chao, Jih-Ping, and Rui Xin Huang, 1980. The cnoidal waves of a rotating barotropic atmosphere.
Scientia Sinica, XXIII(10), 12661277.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1986. Solutions of the ideal fluid thermocline with continuous stratification. Journal of
Physical Oceanography, 16(1), 3959.
Bogue, Neil M., Rui Xin Huang, and Kirk Bryan, 1986. Verification experiments with an isopycnal
coordinate ocean model. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 16(5), 985990.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1986. Numerical simulation for wind-driven circulation in a subtropical-subpolar basin.
Journal of Physical Oceanography, 16(10), 16361650.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1987. A three-layer model for wind-driven circulation in a subtropical-subpolar basin.
Part I. Model formulation and the subcritical state. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 17(5), 664
678.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1987. A three-layer model for wind-driven circulation in a subtropical-subpolar basin.
Part II. The supercritical and hypercritical states. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 17(5), 679
697.
Huang, R. X., and G. R. Flierl, 1987. Two-layer models for the thermocline and current structure in
subtropical/subpolar gyres. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 17(7), 872884.
Huang, Rui Xin, and Kirk Bryan, 1987. A multilayer model of the thermohaline and wind-driven ocean
circulation. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 17(11), 19091924.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1988. On boundary value problems of the ideal-fluid thermocline. Journal of Physical
Oceanography, 18(4), 619641.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1988. Ideal-fluid thermocline with weakly convective adjustment in a subpolar basin.
Journal of Physical Oceanography, 18(4), 642651.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1988. A three-layer model for wind-driven circulation in a subtropical-subpolar basin.
Part III. Potential vorticity analysis. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 18(5), 739752.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1989. The generalized eastern boundary conditions and the three-dimensional structure
of the ideal fluid thermocline. Journal of Geophysical Research, 94(C4), 48554865.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1989. Simulating the main thermocline in the North Atlantic with an ideal-fluid model.
Journal of Physical Oceanography, 19(4), 543547.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1989. Sensitivity of a multilayered oceanic general circulation model to the sea surface
thermal boundary condition. Journal of Geophysical Research, 94(C12), 18,01118,021.
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Huang, Rui Xin, 1990. Does atmospheric cooling drive the Gulf Stream recirculation? Journal of
Physical Oceanography, 20(5), 750757.
Huang, Rui Xin, and Henry Stommel, 1990. Cross sections of two layer inertial Gulf Stream. Journal of
Physical Oceanography, 20(6), 907911.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1990. On the structure of inertial western boundary currents with two moving layers.
Tellus, 42A, 594604.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1990. Matching a ventilated thermocline model with inertial western boundary currents.
Journal of Physical Oceanography, 20(10), 15991607.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1990. On the three-dimensional structure of the wind-driven circulation in the North
Atlantic. Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans, 15, 117159.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1991. A note on combining wind and buoyancy forcing in a simple one-layer ocean
model. Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans, 15, 535540.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1991. The three-dimensional structure of wind-driven gyres: ventilation and subduction.
U.S. National Report to International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics 1987-1990, Supplement to
Reviews of Geophysics, 590609.
Huang, Rui Xin, James M. Luyten, and Henry M. Stommel, 1992. Multiple equilibrium states in
combined thermal and saline circulation. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 22(3), 231246.
Huang, Rui Xin, and Henry M. Stommel, 1992. Convective flow patterns in an eight-box cube driven by
combined wind stress, thermal and saline forcing. Journal of Geophysical Research, 97(C2), 2347
2364.
Lin, R. Q., R. X. Huang, and J. R. Apel, 1992. A study of the astronomical theory of ice ages in a twodimensional nonlinear climate model. Journal of Geophysical Research, 97(D9), 10,02910,036.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1993. A two-level model for the wind and buoyancy-forced circulation. Journal of
Physical Oceanography, 23(1), 104115.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1993. Real freshwater flux as a natural boundary condition for the salinity balance and
thermohaline circulation forced by evaporation and precipitation. Journal of Physical
Oceanography, 23(11), 24282446.
Huang, R. X., and R. W. Schmitt, 1993. The Goldsbrough-Stommel circulation of the world oceans.
Journal of Physical Oceanography, 23(6), 12771284.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1994. Thermohaline circulation: Energetics and variability in a single-hemisphere basin
model. Journal of Geophysical Research, 99(C6), 12,47112,485.
Huang, Rui Xin, and Ru Ling Chou, 1994. Parameter sensitivity study of the saline circulation. Climate
Dynamics, 9, 391469.
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Huang, Rui Xin, and Bo Qiu, 1994. Three-dimensional structure of the wind-driven circulation in the
subtropical North Pacific. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 24(7), 16081622.
Huang, Rui Xin, and Sarah Russell, 1994. Ventilation of the subtropical North Pacific. Journal of
Physical Oceanography, 24(12), 25892605.
Wang, Liping, and Rui Xin Huang, 1994. A simple model of abyssal circulation in a circumpolar ocean.
Journal of Physical Oceanography, 24(5), 10401058.
Wang, Liping, and Rui Xin Huang, 1995. A linear homogeneous model of wind-driven circulation in a βplane channel. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 25(4), 587603.
Pickart, Robert S., and Rui Xin Huang, 1995. Structure of an inertial deep western boundary current.
Journal of Marine Research, 53(5), 739770.
Qiu, Bo, and Rui Xin Huang, 1995. Ventilation of the North Atlantic and North Pacific: Subduction
versus obduction. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 25(10), 23742390.
Dewar, W. K., and R. X. Huang, 1995. Fluid flow in loops driven by freshwater and heat fluxes. Journal
of Fluid Mechanics, 297, 153191.
Huang, Rui Xin, and James R. Luyten, 1996. Reply (to "Comments on `Multiple Equilibrium States in
Combined Thermal and Saline Circulation,'' by J. Egger, Journal of Physical Oceanography, 26,
284285, 1996). Journal of Physical Oceanography, 26(2), 286.
Yang, Jiayan, and Rui Xin Huang, 1996. Decadal oscillations driven by the annual cycle in a zonallyaveraged coupled oceanice model. Geophysical Research Letters, 23(3), 269272.
Dewar, W. K., and R. X. Huang, 1996. On the forced flow of salty water in a loop. Physics of Fluids,
8(4), 954970.
Huang, Rui Xin, and William K. Dewar, 1996. Haline circulation: Bifurcation and chaos. Journal of
Physical Oceanography, 26(10), 20932106.
Huang, Rui Xin, and Jiayan Yang, 1996. Deep-water upwelling in the frictional western boundary layer.
Journal of Physical Oceanography, 26(10), 22432250.
Wang, Liping, and Rui Xin Huang, 1998. A homogeneous model of the Deacon cell in a circumpolar
ocean. Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans, 28(3-4), 157177.
Zhang, Jubao, Raymond W. Schmitt, and Rui Xin Huang, 1998. Sensitivity of the GFDL Modular Ocean
Model to parameterization of double-diffusive processes. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 28(4),
589605.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1998. Mixing and available potential energy in a Boussinesq ocean. Journal of Physical
Oceanography, 28(4), 669678.
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Huang, Rui Xin, and Bo Qiu, 1998. Ventilation of the subtropical South Pacific Ocean. Journal of
Physical Oceanography, 28(6), 11731186.
Huang, Rui, Xin, 1998. On the balance of energy in the oceanic general circulation. Chinese Journal of
Atmospheric Sciences, 22, 452467.
Kelly, Kathryn A., Sandipa Singh, and Rui Xin Huang, 1999. Seasonal variations of sea surface height in
the Gulf Stream region. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 29(3), 313327.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1999. Mixing and energetics of the thermohaline circulation. Journal of Physical
Oceanography, 29(4), 727746.
Huang, Rui Xin, and Joseph Pedlosky, 1999. Climate variability inferred from a layered model of the
ventilated thermocline. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 29(4), 779790.
Zhang, Jubao, Raymond W. Schmitt, and Rui Xin Huang, 1999. The relative influence of diapycnal
mixing and hydrologic forcing on the stability of the thermohaline circulation. Journal of Physical
Oceanography, 29(6), 10961108.
Jin, Xiangze, Rui Xin Huang, and Jiayan Yang, 1999. Centennial oscillations in an oceanice coupled
model. Advances in Atmospheric Sciences, 16(3), 323342.
Huang, Rui Xin, 2000. Parameter study of a continuously stratified model of the ideal-fluid thermocline.
Journal of Physical Oceanography, 30(6), 13721388.
Huang, Rui Xin, 2000. Climate variability inferred from a continuously stratified model of the ideal-fluid
thermocline. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 30(6), 13891406.
Huang, Rui X., Mark A. Cane, Naomi Naik, and Paul Goodman, 2000. Global adjustment of the
thermocline in response to deepwater formation. Geophysical Research Letters, 27, 759762.
Huang, Rui Xin, and Joseph Pedlosky, 2000. Climate variability of the equatorial thermocline inferred
from a two-moving-layer model of the ventilated thermocline. Journal of Physical Oceanography,
30(10), 26102626.
Huang, Rui Xin, and Joseph Pedlosky, 2000. Climate variability induced by anomalous buoyancy forcing
in a multilayer model of the ventilated thermocline. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 30(11),
30093021.
Huang, Rui Xin, Xiangze Jin, and Xuehong Zhang, 2001. An oceanic general circulation model in
pressure coordinates. Advances in Atmospheric Science, 18, 122.
Dewar, William K., and Rui X. Huang, 2001. Adjustment of the ventilated thermocline. Journal of
Physical Oceanography, 31(7), 16761697.
Huang, Rui Xin, 2001. An analytical solution of the ideal-fluid thermocline. Journal of Physical
Oceanography, 31(8, Part~2), 24412457.
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Huang, Rui Xin, 2001. The available potential energy in a compressible ocean. In: IUTAM Symposium on
Advances in Mathematical Modelling of Atmosphere and Ocean Dynamics, Proceedings of the
IUTAM Symposium held in Limerick, Ireland, 27 July 2000, P. F. Hodnett, editor; Fluid
Mechanics and Its Applications, Vol. 61, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht; pp. 167172.
Huang, Rui Xin, and Qi Wang, 2001. Interior communication from the subtropical to the tropical oceans.
Journal of Physical Oceanography, 31(12), 35383550.
Huang, Rui Xin, and Xiangze Jin. Deep circulation in the South Atlantic induced by bottom-intensified
mixing over the mid-ocean ridge. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 32, 1150-1164.
Huang, Rui Xin, and Xiangze Jin, 2002. Sea surface elevation and bottom pressure anomalies due to
thermohaline forcing, Part I: Isolated perturbations. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 32, 21312150.
Huang, Rui Xin, and Joseph Pedlosky, 2002. On aliasing Rossby waves induced by asynchronous time
stepping. Ocean Modelling, 5, 65-76.
Zhang, X.-H., W. Li, X.-Z. Jin, and R. X. Huang, 2002. The development of an oceanic general
circulation model based on the pressure coordinates and its application. Adv. Natur. Sci., 12,
1015-1020. (in Chinese).
Huang, Rui Xin, and Fei Fei Jin, 2003. The asymmetric nature of the Equatorial Undercurrent in the
Pacific. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 33, 1083-1094.
Huang, Rui Xin and Wei Wang, 2003. Gravitational potential energy sinks/sources in the oceans. NearBoundary Processes and Their Parameterization, Proceedings, Hawaii Winter Workshop, 239-247.
Huang, Rui Xin and Wei Wang, 2004. Wind energy input to the surface waves. Journal of Physical
Oceanography, 34(5), 1267-1275.
Huang, Rui Xin and Wei Wang, 2004. Wind energy input to the Ekman Layer. Journal of Physical
Oceanography, 34(5), 1276-1280.
Huang, R. X., 2004. Ocean, energy flow. In: Encyclopedia of Energy, C.J. Cleveland, ed., Elsevier, 4,
497-509.
Wang W. and R. X. Huang, 2005. An experimental study on thermal circulation driven by horizontal
differential heating, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 540, 49-73.
Huang, Rui Xin. The important contribution of oceanic circulation to the poleward heat flux in the
atmosphereoceanland coupled system. Journal of Climate, submitted.
Huang, Rui Xin. Structure of the circulation induced by enhanced mixing in the Southern Oceans. Ocean
Modelling, submitted.
Huang, R. X., 2005. Available Potential Energy in the World Ocean. Journal of Marine Research, in
press.
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Wang, Q. and Rui Xin Huang, 2005. Decadal Variability of Pycnocline Flows from the Subtropical to the
Equatorial Pacific, Journal of Physical Oceanography, 35, 1861-1875.
Wang W. and R. X. Huang, 2005. An experimental study on thermal circulation driven by horizontal
differential heating, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 540, 49-73.
Huang, R. X., 2005. Contribution of oceanic circulation to the poleward heat flux, Journal of Ocean
University of China, 4, 277-287.
Wang W., C. C. Qian+, & Rui Xin Huang, 2006. Mechanical energy input to the world oceans due to
atmospheric loading, Chinese Science bulletin, 51, No. 3, 327-330.
Huang, R. X., W. Wang, L. L. Liu, 2006. Decadal variability of wind energy input to the world ocean,
manuscript, Deep Sea Research II., 53, 31-41.
Huang R. X. and X.-Z. Jin, 2006. Gravitational potential energy balance for the thermal circulation in a
model ocean, Journal of Physical Oceanography, in press.
Jelloul, M. B. and R. X. Huang, 2006. The abyssal stratification and circulation deduced from the
maximal entropy production principle, Tellus A, in press.
Book
Hogg, Nelson G., and Rui Xin Huang (editors), 1995. Collected Works of Henry M. Stommel, Volumes
IIII, American Meteorological Society, Boston, Massachusetts, 2000 pp. (approx.).
Non-Refereed Publications
Huang, R. X., 1976. Some problems in the supersonic stream-surface theory. Information of Mechanics,
No. 2 (in Chinese).
Huang, R. X., 1977. On the stream-surface theory. Information of Mechanics, No. 1 (in Chinese).
Huang, R. X. and J. A. Wang, 1977. The Earth's mantle convection, a problem in geophysical fluid
dynamics. Information of Mechanics, No. 3 (in Chinese).
Huang, R. X., 1980. On the one-dimensional approximation of viscous fluid flow. Progress in Mechanics,
No. 3 (in Chinese).
Huang, Rui Xin, 1985. Partial solutions for inertial western boundary current with continuous
stratification. In: Proceedings, Gulf Stream Workshop, University of Rhode Island, 2326 April
1985; D. R. Watts, ed., pp. II.320II.361.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1992. Deep western boundary currents. Oceanus, 35(2), 2627.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1992. Freshwater driving forces  A new look at an old theory. Oceanus, 35(2), 3637.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1992. A trip to the MBL Library with Hank. Oceanus, 35 (Special Issue: A Tribute to
Henry Stommel), p. 126.
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Huang, Rui Xin, 1993. Thermohaline circulations: Intermediate Water formation and energetics of
halocline catastrophe. In: Ninth Conference on Atmospheric and Oceanic Waves and Stability, May
1014, 1993, San Antonio, Texas, American Meteorological Society, pp. 5657.
Wang, Liping, and Rui Xin Huang, 1993. Topographic control of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. In:
Ninth Conference on Atmospheric and Oceanic Waves and Stability, May 1014, 1993, San
Antonio, Texas, American Meteorological Society, pp. 7677.
Huang, Rui Xin, and Jiayan Yang, 1996. Computer modelers simulate real and potential climate, work
toward prediction. Oceanus, 39(2), 3638.
Hogg, N. G. and R. X. Huang (editors), 1996. Collected Works of Henry M. Stommel. (3 volumes, 1943
pp), American Meteorological Society.
Huang, R. X. and W. Wang, 2003. Gravitational potential energy sinks in the oceans. In: `Aha
Huliko’a Near-Boundary Processes and Their Parameterization, Proceedings, Hawaii
Winter Workshop, University of Hawaii at Manoa, January 21-24, 2003, P. Muller and
D. Henderson, eds., SOEST Special Publication, 239-247.
Huang, R. X., 1998. The future of physical oceanography, a personal view. A speech at the National
Science Foundation sponsored Physical Oceanography Workshop, to be published.
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Technical Reports
Huang, R. X., 1983. A two-layer model of the subpolar gyre and subtropical gyre. In: Summer Study
Program in Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Technical Report
WHOI-83-41, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA. 106 pp.
Huang, R. X., contributor, 1995. Climate models  validation. Chapter~9 in: Climate Change, The
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, World Meteorological Organization/United Nations
Environment Programme, Edited by J. T. Houghton, L. G. Meira Filho, B. A. Callander, N. Harris,
A. Kattenberg and J. Maskell, published by Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge,
Cambridge University Press.
Book Reviews
Huang, Rui Xin, 1987. Advanced Physical Oceanographic Numerical Modelling, James J. O'Brien,
editor, D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, 1986, 608~pp. Bulletin of the American
Meteorological Society, 68(8), 10321033.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1988. Numerical Modelling: Application to Marine Systems, J. Noye, editor, Elsevier
Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam, 1987, 295 pp. Bulletin of the American Meteorological
Society, 69(7), 775.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1997. Review of Introduction to Physical Oceanography by George Mellor. American
Journal of Physics, 65(10), 10281029.
Thesis
Huang, Rui Xin, 1984. The thermocline and current structure in subtropical/subpolar basins. Ph.D.
Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 218 pp.
Lecture Notes
Huang, Rui Xin, 1988. Steady Circulation of the Oceans and Atmosphere. Lecture notes for
M.I.T./W.H.O.I. Joint Program Course, 215 pp.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1992. Recent Advances in Large-Scale Ocean Circulation Theory. Notes for lectures
presented at the Second Institute of Oceanography, Hangzhou, China, October 7 17, 1992, 237 pp.
(approx.), published in China.
Huang, Rui Xin, 1995. Advances in theories of wind-driven and thermohaline circulation, a lecture series.
University of Hawaii at Manoa, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology Technical
Report SOEST-95-01, 213 pp.
Reference Book
Wang, Ton Yi (Chief Editor), Rui Xin Huang, et al., 1980. English-German-French-Russian-Chinese
Dictionary in Physics, Atomic Energy Press, Beijing, China, 2012 pp.