Pearn P. Niiler
Encyclopedia
Pearn P. Niiler - American oceanographer.
In 1948 his parents brought him to western Pennsylvania. He studied engineering in college in Lehigh University
. In 1964 he received doctorate from Brown University
where he studied applied mathematics and fluid mechanics. He was Fulbright fellow at Cambridge University and postdoctoral fellow at Harvard. Next he joined Nova University in 1966 where he studied the Florida Current and Gulf Stream. He was teaching at Oregon State University for eight years from 1974. He become professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
in 1982 where he worked in the Physical Oceanography Research Division. He was Scripps Distinguished Professor.
He designed ocean drifter
for measuring direct circulation flow and other instruments for ocean observations. He was scientific father of the Global Drifter Program and one of the persons responsible for organizing Boulder, Colorado meeting in 1982 which initiated the program itself. One of his more clever designs was an ocean drifting measurement device he called the "holey sock."
Since 2002 he was involved in tropical hurricane research and his group deployed first groups of thermistor chain drifters before approaching hurricanes. His final field project was related to tropical hurricanes influence on ocean mixing in the Western Pacific. The project was ongoing when he died and he coordinated deployment of the thermistor chain drifters of his design during that project. His thermistor chain drifters sampled Typhoon Fanapi in September 2010, he was particularly interested in typhoon cold wake to study relaxation of the mixed layer temperature after cyclone passage.
His interests included measurements of flow and theory of variability of eastern boundary current systems, relationship of heat flux to global sea surface temperature
variability, Lagrangian circulation measurements in mixed layer
s of the world ocean, and response of upper ocean to tropical storms. He was named fellow of the American Geophysical Union
in 1986. He was a Distinguished visiting Scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory from 1979.
He was married to Ann Eston in 1960 and had to sons with her, they divorced in 1974. When he died he was married to Nancy McCaleb. He had one daughter Ashley, and two sons - Eric and Banjamin. According to Scripps News
"He had a passion for architecture and designed numerous homes and several buildings. He played a leading role in creating the distinctive design of the W.M. Keck Foundation Center for Ocean Atmosphere Research, in which his office was housed. He was a painter, a gourmet chef, and an aficionado of wine and travel." He was also supporter of the dance company founded by his wife, Nancy McCaleb.
In 1948 his parents brought him to western Pennsylvania. He studied engineering in college in Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
. In 1964 he received doctorate from Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
where he studied applied mathematics and fluid mechanics. He was Fulbright fellow at Cambridge University and postdoctoral fellow at Harvard. Next he joined Nova University in 1966 where he studied the Florida Current and Gulf Stream. He was teaching at Oregon State University for eight years from 1974. He become professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California, is one of the oldest and largest centers for ocean and earth science research, graduate training, and public service in the world...
in 1982 where he worked in the Physical Oceanography Research Division. He was Scripps Distinguished Professor.
He designed ocean drifter
Drifter (floating device)
Drifters are floating devices to investigate ocean currents. The major components of drifters are hollow bodies that ensure flotation, "sails" to catch water currents, instruments , and waterproof containers for instruments...
for measuring direct circulation flow and other instruments for ocean observations. He was scientific father of the Global Drifter Program and one of the persons responsible for organizing Boulder, Colorado meeting in 1982 which initiated the program itself. One of his more clever designs was an ocean drifting measurement device he called the "holey sock."
Since 2002 he was involved in tropical hurricane research and his group deployed first groups of thermistor chain drifters before approaching hurricanes. His final field project was related to tropical hurricanes influence on ocean mixing in the Western Pacific. The project was ongoing when he died and he coordinated deployment of the thermistor chain drifters of his design during that project. His thermistor chain drifters sampled Typhoon Fanapi in September 2010, he was particularly interested in typhoon cold wake to study relaxation of the mixed layer temperature after cyclone passage.
His interests included measurements of flow and theory of variability of eastern boundary current systems, relationship of heat flux to global sea surface temperature
Sea surface temperature
Sea surface temperature is the water temperature close to the oceans surface. The exact meaning of surface varies according to the measurement method used, but it is between and below the sea surface. Air masses in the Earth's atmosphere are highly modified by sea surface temperatures within a...
variability, Lagrangian circulation measurements in mixed layer
Mixed layer
The oceanic or limnological mixed layer is a layer in which active turbulence has homogenized some range of depths. The surface mixed layer is a layer where this turbulence is generated by winds, cooling, or processes such as evaporation or sea ice formation which result in an increase in salinity...
s of the world ocean, and response of upper ocean to tropical storms. He was named fellow of the American Geophysical Union
American Geophysical Union
The American Geophysical Union is a nonprofit organization of geophysicists, consisting of over 50,000 members from over 135 countries. AGU's activities are focused on the organization and dissemination of scientific information in the interdisciplinary and international field of geophysics...
in 1986. He was a Distinguished visiting Scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory from 1979.
He was married to Ann Eston in 1960 and had to sons with her, they divorced in 1974. When he died he was married to Nancy McCaleb. He had one daughter Ashley, and two sons - Eric and Banjamin. According to Scripps News
"He had a passion for architecture and designed numerous homes and several buildings. He played a leading role in creating the distinctive design of the W.M. Keck Foundation Center for Ocean Atmosphere Research, in which his office was housed. He was a painter, a gourmet chef, and an aficionado of wine and travel." He was also supporter of the dance company founded by his wife, Nancy McCaleb.