The relative importance of chaotic stirring and smaller-scale turbulent mixing for the distribution of dye in an idealized ocean flow feature is quantified using three different methods. We find that stirring is the dominant process in large areas with fast stirring, while mixing dominates in small fast-stirring regions and all slow-stirring regions. This quantification of process dominance can help oceanographers think about when to model stirring accurately, which can be costly.

This paper is based on a deep learning neural network to invert the Rayleigh surface wave velocity of the crustal thickness, which is a new geophysical inversion solution that proved to be effective and practical. Through comparative experiments, we found that deep learning neural networks can more accurately reveal the non-linear relationship between phase velocity and crustal thickness than traditional shallow networks. Deep learning neural networks are more efficient than Monte Carlo methods.

We explore the nature of instabilities in a well-known meteorological toy model, the Lorenz 96, to unravel key mechanisms of interaction between scales of different resolutions and time scales. To do so, we use a mathematical machinery known as Lyapunov analysis, allowing us to capture the degrees of chaoticity associated with fundamental directions of instability. We find a non-trivial group of such directions projecting significantly on slow variables, associated with long term dynamics.

Statistical hypothesis tests in wavelet analysis are used to asses the likelihood that time series features are noise. The choice of test will determine which features emerge as a signal. Tests based on area do poorly at distinguishing abrupt fluctuations from periodic behavior, unlike tests based on arclength that do better. The application of the tests suggests that there are features in Indian rainfall time series that emerge from background noise.

This work has to do with a small part of existing algorithms that are used in applications such as predicting the weather. We provide empirical evidence that our new technique works well on small but representative models. This might lead to creation of a better weather forecast and potentially save lives as in the case of hurricane prediction.