Draft:Robert A. Brown (atmospheric scientist)

Robert A. Brown
Robert A. Brown
Nationality	American
Alma mater	University of Washington (Ph.D., 1969)
Known for	Planetary boundary layer research, Fluid Mechanics of the Atmosphere, Seattle Post-Intelligencer science blog
Awards	PORSEC Distinguished Scientist Medal
	Scientific career
Fields	Atmospheric sciences, geophysical fluid dynamics
Institutions	University of Washington

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Robert A. Brown is an American atmospheric scientist and Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington. He is recognized for his contributions to understanding planetary boundary layer (PBL) processes, turbulence, and air-sea interactions, as well as authoring the influential textbook Fluid Mechanics of the Atmosphere (1991).

Education and early career

Brown earned his Ph.D. in Geophysics from the University of Washington in 1969 under advisor Robert G. Fleagle. His doctoral work focused on modeling organized large eddies in planetary boundary layers, providing foundational insights into cloud street formation.^[1]

Academic career

Brown joined the University of Washington faculty in 1971, where he served as a full professor in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences until his retirement in 2006. Key achievements include:

Leadership of the Planetary Boundary Layer Research Group (1971–2006)
Development of nonlinear mathematical solutions for PBL flow dynamics, later integrated into weather and climate models^[2]
Teaching graduate courses in geophysical fluid dynamics

Research contributions

Brown's research advanced understanding of:

**Planetary Boundary Layers (PBL):** Derived chaos theory-based solutions for turbulent flows, explaining phenomena like cloud streets observed in satellite imagery.^[1]
**Air-Sea Interaction:** Studied momentum and energy exchange processes critical for climate modeling.
**Remote Sensing Applications:** Collaborated on interpreting data from scatterometers and synthetic aperture radar (SAR).

Public engagement

Since 2004, Brown has written the "Seattle Brights" science blog for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (seattlepi.com), focusing on climate science and global warming.^[2]

Selected publications

Fluid Mechanics of the Atmosphere (1991) – Standard textbook covering vorticity dynamics, turbulence, and rotating frame systems.^[3]
Multiple peer-reviewed papers on PBL dynamics and entrainment processes.

Awards and honors

PORSEC Distinguished Scientist Medal (Pan Ocean Remote Sensing Conference)
Robert Fleagle Endowed Lectureship contributor^[1]

Legacy

Colleagues describe Brown as instrumental in establishing UW's collaborative atmospheric sciences culture. His nonlinear PBL models remain foundational in modern meteorological simulations.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Robert G. Fleagle Memorial". University of Washington Department of Atmospheric Sciences. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
^ ^a ^b "Robert A. Brown LinkedIn Profile". LinkedIn. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
^ Brown, R.A. (1991). Fluid Mechanics of the Atmosphere. Academic Press. ISBN 978-0121370400. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)

External links

[UW_History-1] "Robert G. Fleagle Memorial". University of Washington Department of Atmospheric Sciences. Retrieved April 2, 2025.

[LinkedIn-2] "Robert A. Brown LinkedIn Profile". LinkedIn. Retrieved April 2, 2025.

[Google_Books-3] Brown, R.A. (1991). Fluid Mechanics of the Atmosphere. Academic Press. ISBN 978-0121370400. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)

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