Francis P. Bretherton
Professor of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
Director, Space Science and Engineering Center
Ph.D., University of Cambridge, 1961
1011 Atmospheric Oceanic and Space Science Building
1225 West Dayton Street
Madison, WI 53706
Tel: 608/262-7497
E-mail: fbretherton@ssec.wisc.edu
Program Affiliations
Fields of Interest
Biographical Sketch
Francis Bretherton obtained his Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics at the University of Cambridge, England. His research areas include atmospheric dynamics and ocean currents. He has been a member of the faculty at Cambridge and Johns Hopkins University. From 1974-1981 he was Director of the National Center for
Atmospheric Research. Since then, he has been deeply involved in planning national and international research programs on climate and changes in our global environment. From 1982-1987 he was Chair of the NASA Earth System Science Committee. He was Director of the Space Science and Engineering Center from 1988-1999 and is a Professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Research Interests
The influence of human activities on our global environment requires a new approach to understanding the earth as a system, combining interdisciplinary modeling, global observations from space and in situ, and detailed study of specific processes, such as the influence of clouds on climate, and the transfer of heat by ocean currents. Also important are techniques for the management of data and complex information. While mastering particular topics, UW students have the opportunity to participate in broader national and international research programs on these issues.
See also: Climate and climate change and more related links
Selected Publications
Earth System Sciences Committee, 1988, Earth System Sciences: A Closer View, NASA, Washington, D. C.
Coakley, J. R. & Bretherton, F. P., 1982: Cloud cover from high resolution scanner data: Detecting and allowing for partially filled fields of view, J. Geophys. Res., 87, 4917-4932.
Bretherton, F. P., 1966. The propagation of groups of international gravity waves in a shear flow. Quart. Journal Royal Meteorological Society, 92-466.
