Henry Potter

Henry Potter

Associate Professor

  hpotter@tamu.edu

  (979) 845-0405

  Eller O&M 702D

Research

My research goal is to improve understanding of air-sea interaction. Energy exchange, in the form of heat, mass, and momentum, over the air-sea interface happens across 362 million square kilometers all day every day. This has limitless ramifications for weather and climate. I approach my research with one overarching question: how does air-sea exchange vary over space and time? Increased knowledge of air-sea interaction ultimately results in a more robust understanding of the contemporary ocean which provides the opportunity to develop accurate earth system models. As an observational oceanographer, novel field data are the backbone of my research. I also utilize satellite data, laboratory experiments, historical measurements, and models. My research covers the following topics:

  • Air-sea interaction
  • Hurricanes
  • Boundary layer turbulence
  • Coastal oceanography
  • Ocean wave breaking and whitecaps
  • Surface gravity waves
  • Upper ocean mixing and temperature structure
  • Infrared remote sensing
  • Offshore wind energy
  • Ocean observing instruments and technology

Selected Publications

Lyu, M., Potter, H., Collins, C. O., Yang, X., & Wang, X. (2023). The impacts of gustiness on the evolution of surface gravity waves. Geophysical Research Letters, 50(12), e2023GL104085.

Potter, H., Ortiz-Suslow, D, & Collins, C.O. (2022). Pier-based Measurements of Air-Sea Momentum Fluxes over Shoaling Waves during DUNEX. 127(11), e2022JC018801

Yang, X., & Potter, H. (2021). A Novel Method to Discriminate Active from Residual Whitecaps Using Particle Image Velocimetry. Remote Sensing, 13(20), 4051.

Lyu, M., Potter, H., & Collins, C. O. (2021). The Impacts of Gustiness on Air–Sea Momentum Flux. Fluids, 6(10), 336.

Potter, H., & Rudzin, J. E. (2021). Upper-Ocean Temperature Variability in the Gulf of Mexico with Implications for Hurricane Intensity. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 51(10), 3149-3162.

Potter, H., Hsu, C. Y., & DiMarco, S. F. (2021). Rapid dissipation of a Loop Current Eddy due to interaction with a severe Gulf of Mexico hurricane. Ocean Dynamics, 71(9), 911-922.

Potter, H., DiMarco, S. F., & Knap, A. H. (2019). Tropical cyclone heat potential and the rapid intensification of Hurricane Harvey in the Texas Bight. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 124(4), 2440-2451.

Potter, H. (2018). The cold wake of typhoon Chaba (2010). Deep-Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 140, 136-141.

Collins III, C. O., Potter, H., Lund, B., Tamura, H., & Graber, H. C. (2018). Directional wave spectra observed during intense tropical cyclones. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 123(2), 773-793.

Potter, H., Drennan, W. M., & Graber, H. C. (2017). Upper ocean cooling and air‐sea fluxes under typhoons: A case study. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 122(9), 7237-7252.

Potter, H., Collins III, C. O., Drennan, W. M., & Graber, H. C. (2015). Observations of wind stress direction during Typhoon Chaba (2010). Geophysical Research Letters, 42(22), 9898-9905.

Potter, H., Smith, G. B., Snow, C. M., Dowgiallo, D. J., Bobak, J. P., & Anguelova, M. D. (2015). Whitecap lifetime stages from infrared imagery with implications for microwave radiometric measurements of whitecap fraction. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 120(11), 7521-7537.

Potter, H. (2015). Swell and the drag coefficient. Ocean Dynamics, 65(3), 375-384.

Potter, H., Graber, H. C., Williams, N. J., Collins III, C. O., Ramos, R. J., & Drennan, W. M. (2015). In situ measurements of momentum fluxes in typhoons. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 72(1), 104-118.

Drennan, W. M., Graber, H. C., Collins III, C. O., Herrera, A., Potter, H., Ramos, R. J., & Williams, N. J. (2014). EASI: An air–sea interaction buoy for high winds. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 31(6), 1397-1409.

Sahlée, E., Drennan, W. M., Potter, H., & Rebozo, M. A. (2012). Waves and air‐sea fluxes from a drifting ASIS buoy during the Southern Ocean Gas Exchange experiment. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 117(C8)..

Dragoni, D., Schmid, H. P., Wayson, C. A., Potter, H., Grimmond, C. S. B., & Randolph, J. C. (2011). Evidence of increased net ecosystem productivity associated with a longer vegetated season in a deciduous forest in south‐central Indiana, USA. Global Change Biology, 17(2), 886-897.

Education

Ph.D. Applied Marine Physics, University of Miami, Miami, FL.
B.S. Geography, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN.
A.A. Liberal Studies, Southern Maine Community College, South Portland, ME.

Courses

Data Analysis Methods in Geosciences (OCNG 470)
Experimental Design and Analysis in Oceanography (OCNG 655)
Advanced Oceanography Data Analysis and Communication (OCNG 461/OCNG 661)
Blue Planet (OCNG 251)
Undergraduate Research in Oceanography (OCNG 291/491)
Graduate Research in Oceanography (OCNG 691)

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