C. Roberto Mechoso Biographical Sketch
May 2008
C. Roberto Mechoso is Professor of Atmospheric Dynamics in the Department of Atmospheric
and Oceanic Sciences at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). Mechoso's current
research interests are ocean-atmosphere interactions, numerical weather prediction, meteorology
aand climatology of the Southern Hemisphere, and high performance computing. He is author of
more that 150 scientific publications in his fields of interest. The goal of his research is to
increase the understanding of climate variability using analyses of highly realistic simulations
with numerical models, complemented by studies with observational data. Targeted topics have
been El Niño/Southern Oscillation and its impacts, American monsoon systems, stratospheric
warnings, instabilities on atmospheric fronts, and distributing computing for climate modeling.
Mechoso was raised in Montevideo, Uruguay, where he obtained an engineering degree from the
University of the Republic; his MA and PhD are from Princeton University. He is a fellow of
the American Meteorological Society, member of the American Geophysical Union, Honorary
Professor at the University of Uruguay, Senior Fellow of the San Diego Supercomputer Center,
and Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Engineering of Uruguay. Mechoso was
Project Scientist of NASA’s Computational Modeling Technologies for Earth and Space
Sciences (COMTESS).
Mechoso was founding Chair of the panel on Variability of the American Monsoon Systems
(VAMOS) of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). Currently, he chairs the Science
Working Group of the WCRP/VAMOS Ocean-Clouds-Atmosphere-Land Studies (VOCALS)
program. He is also member of the WCRP/VAMOS panel, and of the Science Advisory
Committee of the International Pacific Research Center, U. Hawaii. Mechoso has been
appointed to the WCRP/CLIVAR Science Steering Group for the period 2007-2009.
Professional Preparation:
University of Uruguay, Electro-Mechanical Engineering,
Engineer 1974; Princeton University, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, MA 1977, Ph.D. 1978.
Appointments: Professor of Atmospheric Dynamics, UCLA, since July 1991. Associate
Professor of Atmospheric Dynamics, UCLA, July 1986 - June 1991. Assistant Professor of
Atmospheric Dynamics, UCLA, July 1981 - June 1986. Adjunct Assistant Professor, UCLA,
January 1979 - June 1981. Graduate Student, Princeton University, September 1975 - December
1978. Research Assistant, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Program, Princeton University, January
- August 1975. Lecturer in Fluid Mechanics and in Continuum Mechanics, School of
Engineering, University of Uruguay, 1968-1974. Directeur de Recherche, Ecole Polytechnique,
France, October-November 2000. Distinguished Visitor, Universidad Complutense, Madrid,
2007.
Selected publications since 1995
Mechoso, C. R., A. W. Robertson, N. Barth, M. K. Davey, P. Delecluse, P. R. Gent, S. Ineson, B.
Kirtman, M. Latif, H. Le Treut, T. Nagai, J. D. Neelin, S. G. H. Philander, J. Polcher, P. S.
Schopf, T. Stockdale, M. J. Suarez, L. Terray, O. Thual and J. J. Tribbia, 1995: The seasonal
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cycle over the Tropical Pacific in General Circulation Models. Mon. Wea. Rev., 123, 28252838.
Ma, C.-C., C. R. Mechoso, A. W. Robertson and A. Arakawa, 1996: Peruvian stratus clouds and
the tropical Pacific circulation - a coupled ocean-atmosphere GCM study. J. Climate, 9,
1635-1645.
Mechoso, C. R., J.-Y. Yu and A. Arakawa, 2000: A coupled GCM pilgrimage: From climate
catastrophe to ENSO simulations. General Circulation Model Development: Past, present
and future. D. A. Randall. Ed., Academic Press, 539-575.
Robertson, A. W. and C. R. Mechoso, 2000: Interannual and interdecadal variability of the South
Atlantic Convergence Zone. Mon. Wea. Rev., 128, 2947-2957.
Yu, J. -Y., and C. R. Mechoso, 2001: A coupled atmosphere-ocean GCM study of the ENSO
cycle. J. Climate, 14, 2329-2350.
Robertson, A. W., C. R. Mechoso, and N. O. Garcia, 2001: Interannual prediction of the Paraná
River. Geophys. Res. Lett., 28, 4235-4238.
Mechoso, C. R., J. D. Neelin, and J. -Y. Yu, 2003: Testing simple models of ENSO. J. Atmos
Sci., 60, 305-318.
Cazes, G., A. W. Robertson, and C. R. Mechoso, 2003: Seasonal dependence of ENSO
teleconnections over South America and relationships with precipitation in Uruguay. J.
Climate, 16, 1159-1176.
Robertson, A. W., J. D. Farrara and C. R. Mechoso, 2003: Simulations of the atmospheric
response to South Atlantic sea surface temperature anomalies. J. Climate, 16, 2540-2551.
Terra, R., C. R. Mechoso and A. Arakawa, 2003: Impact of orographically induced spatial
variability in PBL stratiform clouds on climate simulations. J. Climate, 17, 276-293.
Richter, I. and C. R. Mechoso, 2004: Orographic influences on the annual cycle of Namibian
stratocumulus clouds. Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L24108.
Terra, R., C. R. Mechoso and A. Arakawa, 2003: Impact of orographically induced spatial
variability in PBL stratiform clouds on climate simulations. J. Climate, 17, 276-293.
Hertzog, A., F. Vial, C. Basdevant, and C. R. Mechoso, 2004: Some results on the accuracy of
stratospheric analyses in the Northern Hemisphere inferred from long duration balloon
flights. Quart. J. Royal Meteor. Soc, 130, 607-626.
Gu, Y., K. N. Liou, Y. Xue, C. R. Mechoso, W. Li, and Y. Luo, 2006: Climatic effects of
different aerosol types in China simulated by the UCLA general circulation model, J.
Geophys. Res., 111, D15201, doi:10.1029/2005JD006312.
Xue, Y., F. de Sales, W. -P. Li, C. R. Mechoso, C. A. Nobre, H. -M. Juang, 2006: Role of land
surface processes in the South American monsoon development. J. Climate. 19, 741-762.
Richter, I. and C. R. Mechoso, 2006: Orographic influences on subtropical stratocumulus clouds.
J. Atmos. Sci. 63, 2585-2601.
Trzaska, S., A. W. Robertson, J. D. Farrara, and C. R. Mechoso, 2006: South Atlantic variability
arising from air-sea coupling: local mechanisms and tropical-subtropical interactions. J.
Climate, 20, 3345 – 3365.
Richter, I., C.R. Mechoso, and A.W. Robertson, 2008: What Determines the Position and
Intensity of the South Atlantic Anticyclone in Austral Winter?—An AGCM Study. J.
Climate, 21, 214–229.
Cazes-Boezio, G.D. Menemenlis, and C. R. Mechoso, 2008: Impact of ECCO Ocean-State
Estimates on the Initialization of Seasonal Climate Forecasts. J. Climate, 21, 1929-1947.
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