Mesoscale phenomena in the troposphere generally have an immediate connection to heat, moisture and momentum fluxes at the earth's surface. I have concentrated on mesoscale topographic disturbances and moist convection, especially the extreme cases that significantly alter the larger environment. For example, in the first category, I have looked at complete blocking by anisotropic terrain, especially in a baroclinic atmosphere (model solution). In the second category, I have studied self-organizing convection such as squall lines (note to QJRMS). Permanent alteration of the larger environment (the "far field") is a big complication for numerical modeling, because it requires resolving many scales of motion simultaneously.

At somewhat larger time and space scales, I have studied the lifecycles of unstable baroclinic waves in order to understand the equilibration process at different zonal scales and subject to different physical processes (e.g., surface friction and moisture condensation). I am particulary interested in the difference between elongated storm tracks, where the waves may be assumed periodic and "absolutely" unstable, and basin-scale strom tracks, where the instability is localized and "convective".

Most recently I have been experimenting with a new approach to "parameterizing" mountain wave drag in large-scale numerical models (article). The procedure is based on the theory of linear, stationary waves but includes a nonlinear component. The effect of background rotation and any alteration of the wave environment must be resolved by the model.

Along with C, Kerr, I have developed a comporessible, nonhydrostatic, regional atmospheric component model within GFDL's Flexible Modeling System.   As part of FMS, this model, called ' Zetac ' is coupled to ocean, land and cryospheric component models, and shares physics schemes and packages with other atmospheric models in the system.  Zetac is "unified" as both a global and regional atmospheric model.

Garner, S.T., D.M.W. Frierson, I.M. Held, O. Pauluis and G.K. Vallis, 2007: Resolving convection in a global hypohydrostatic model. J. Atmos. Sci., 64, 2061-2075. (full text).

Philips, V. T. J., L. J. Donner, and S. T. Garner, 2007: Nucleation processes in deep convection simulated by a cloud-system-resolving model with double moment bulk microphysics. J. Atmos. Sci., 64, 738-761.

Knutson, T.R., J.J. Sirutis, S.T. Garner, I.M. Held and R.E. Tuleya, 2007: Simulation of the recent multi-decadal increase of Atlantic hurricane activity using an 18-km grid regional model. Bull. of the Amer. Met. Soc., to appear.

Pauluis, O., D.M.W. Frierson, S.T. Garner, I.M. Held and G.K. Vallis, 2006: The hypohydrostatic rescaling and its impacts on atmospheric convection. Theoretical and Comp. Fluid Dyn., 20, 485-499.

Pauluis, O,. and S.T. Garner, 2006: Sensitivity of radiative-convective equilibrium simulations to horizontal resolution. J. Atmos Sci., 63, 1910-1923.

Garner, S.T., 2005: A topographic drag closure built on an analytical base flux. J. Atmos. Sci., 62, 2302-2315.

Arbic, B.K., S.T. Garner, R.W. Hallberg and H.L. Simmons. 2004: The accuracy of surface elevations in forward global barotropic and baroclinic tide models. Deep-sea Res. II, 51, 3069-3101.

Schneider, T., I.M. Held, and S.T. Garner, 2003: Boundary effects in potential vorticity dynamics. J. Atmos. Sci., 60, 1024-1040.

Garner, S.T., 1999: Blocking and frontogenesis by two-dimensional terrain in baroclinic flow. Part I: Numerical experiments. J. Atmos. Sci., 56, 1495-1508 (full text).

Garner, S.T., 1999: Blocking and frontogenesis by two-dimensional terrain in baroclinic flow. Part II: Analysis of flow stagnation mechanisms. J. Atmos. Sci., 56, 1509-1523 (full text).

Balasubramanian, G., and S.T. Garner, 1997: The role of momentum fluxes in shaping the lifecycle of a baroclinic wave. J. Atmos. Sci., 54, 510-533 (abstract).

Balasubramanian, G., and S.T. Garner, 1997: The equilibration of short baroclinic waves. J. Atmos. Sci, 54, 2850-2871 (abstract).

Garner, S.T., 1995: Permanent and transient upstream effects in nonlinear stratified flow over a ridge. J. Atmos. Sci., 52, 227-246.

Held, I.M., R.T. Pierrehumbert, S.T. Garner, and K.L. Swanson, 1995: Surface quasigeostrophic dynamics. J. Fluid Mech., 282, 1-20.

Garner, S.T., I.M. Held and N.Nakamura, 1992: Nonlinear equilibration of two-dimensional Eady waves: A new perspective. J. Atmos. Sci., 50, 1984-1996.

Garner, S.T., and A.J. Thorpe, 1992: The development of organised convection in a simplifed squall-line model. Q. J. R. Meteor. Soc., 118, 101-124.