Zhengyu Liu

Professor of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and Environmental Studies.
Director of the Center for Climatic Research. Joined the faculty in 1993.

Ph.D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1991 (Physical Oceanography).


Research Interests

Modeling of global climate system; Ocean-atmosphere-land interaction; Climate change and climate variability in the past, present, and future; Modeling and dynamics of general oceanic circulation; Dynamics of geophysical fluid.

See also: Climate and climate change, Large Scale Dynamics and Oceanography.

All Publications

Selected Publications

Liu, Z., B. Otto-Bliesner, F. He, E. Brady, P. Clark, J. Lynch-Steiglitz, A. Carlson, W. Curry, E. Brook, R. Jacob, D. Erickson, J. Kutzbach, J. Cheng (2009). Transient simulation of deglacial Climate Evolution with a new mechanism for Bolling-Allerod warming. Science, 325, 310-314.

Liu, Z., N. Wen and Y. Liu (2008). On the assessment of non-local climate feedback: I: the generalized Equilibrium Feedback Analysis. J. Climate, 21, 134-148.

Liu Z. and N. Wen (2008). On the assessment of non-local climate feedback: II: EFA-SVD analysis and optimal feedback. J. Climate, 21, 5404-5418.

Bayler E. and Z. Liu (2008). Wind-forced Dynamics of the Seasonal Southern South China Sea Gyre. J. Geophys. Res., 113, C07014, doi:10.029/2007JC00519.

Zhong Y. F. and Z. Liu (2008). A joint statistical and dynamical assessment of atmospheric response to North Pacific oceanic variability in CCSM3. J. Clim., 21, 6044-6051.

Lee D., Z. Liu and Y. Liu (2008). Beyond thermo interaction between ocean and atmosphere: on the extratropical climate variability due to wind-induced SST. J. Climate, 21, 2001-2018.

White, W. B. and Z. Liu (2008). Nonlinear alignment of El Nino to the 11-yr solar cycle. Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L19606,doi:10.1029/2008GL034831.

Clemens, S. C., W. Prell, Z. Liu and G. Chen (2008). Southern Hemisphere forcing of Pliocene d18O indicated by evolution of Indo-Asian monsoons. Paleoceanography, 23, PA4210, doi:10.1029/2008PA001638.

Notaro M. and Z. Liu (2008). Joint statistical and dynamical assessment of vegetation feedbacks on climate over boreal forest. Climate Dynamics, 31, 691-712.

Notaro, M., Y. Wang, Z. Liu, R. Gallimore and S. Levis (2008). Combined statistical and dynamical assessment of the simulated negative vegetation feedback on North African annual precipitation during the mid-Holocene. Global Change Biology, 14, 347-368, doi:10.111/j.1365-2486.2007.01495.x.

Zhong Y., Z. Liu and R. Jacob (2008). The origin of Pacific Decadal Variability in the NCAR-CCSM3. J. Climate, 21, 114-133.

Liu, Z., and M. Alexander (2007). Atmospheric bridge, oceanic tunnel, and global climatic teleconnections, Rev. Geophys., 45, RG2005, doi:10.1029/2005RG000172.

Liu, Z., Y. Wang, R. Gallimore, F. Gasse, T. Johnson, P. deMenocal, J. Adkins, M. Notaro, I.C. Prentice, J. Kutzbach, R. Jacob, P. Behling, L. Wang and E. Ong (2007). Simulating the transient evolution and abrupt change of Northern Africa atmosphere-ocean-terrestrial ecosystem in the Holocene. Quat. Sci. Rev.,26, July 2007, 1818-183, University of Wisconsin Madison Libraries Article.

Liu, Z., Y. Liu, L. Wu and R. Jacob (2007). Seasonal and Long-Term Atmospheric Responses to Reemerging North Pacific Ocean Variability: A Combined Dynamical and Statistical Assessment. J. Climate, 20, 955-980.

Abram N. J., M. K. Gagan, Z. Liu, W. S. Hantoro , M. T. McCulloch and B. W. Suwargadi (2007). Seasonal characteristics of the Indian Ocean Dipole during the Holocene epoch. Nature, 445, 299-302.

Liu, Z., Y. Wang, R. Gallimore, M. Notaro, C. I. Prentice (2006). On the mechanism of abrupt change of Northern Africa environment in the Holocene: Climate variability vs. vegetation feedback. Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L22709, doi:10.1.29/2006GL028062.

Liu, Z., Y. Liu, L. Wu, and R. Jacob (2006). Seasonal and Long Term Atmospheric Responses to Reemerging North Pacific Ocean Variability: A Combined Dynamical and Statistical Assessment. Accepted by Journal of Climate. CCR #897. Preprint: PDF

Liu, Q., N. Wen, and Z. Liu (2006). An observational study of the impact of the North Pacific SST on the atmosphere. Accepted by Geophysical Research Letters. Preprint: PDF

Liu, Z. (2006). Glacial Thermohaline Circulation and Climate: Forcing from the North or South? Advances in Atmospheric Sciences, 23(2), pp. 199-206. CCR #876. PDF

Liu, Z., M. Notaro, J. Kutzbach, and N. Liu (2006). Assessing Global Vegetation - Climate Feedbacks from Observation. Journal of Climate 19(5), p. 787-814, doi: 10.1175/JCLI3658.1. CCR #874: PDF

Notaro, M., Z. Liu, and J. Williams (2006). Observed Vegetation-Climate Feedbacks in the United States. Journal of Climate, 19(5), p. 763-786, doi: 10.1175/JCLI3657.1. CCR #896: PDF

Vavrus, S., M. Notaro, and Z. Liu (2006). A Mechanism for Abrupt Change Associated with Tropical Pacific SSTs. Journal of Climate 19, 242-256. CCR #857.

Wen, N., Z. Liu, Q. Liu, and C. Fankignoul (2005). Observations of SST, heat flux, and North Atlantic Ocean-atmosphere interaction. Geophysical Research Letters 32, L24619, doi: 10.1029/2005GL024871. CCR #894: PDF

Wu, L., Z. Liu, Y. Liu, Q. Liu, and X. Liu (2005). Potential global climatic impacts of the North Pacific Ocean. Geophysical Research Letters 32, L24710, DOI: 10.1029/2005GL024812. CCR #901.

Liu, Z., S. Shin, R. Webb, W. Lewis, and B. Otto-Bliesner (2005a). Atmospheric CO2 Forcing on Glacial Thermohaline Circulation and climate. Geophysical Research Letters 32 L02706, doi: 10.1029/2004GL021929. CCR #873.

Liu, Z., S. Vavrus, F. He, N. Wen, and Y. Zhong (2005b). Rethinking Tropical Ocean Response to Global Warming: The Enhanced Equatorial Warming. J. Climate 18(22), 4684-4700, DOI: 10.1175/JCLI3579.1. CCR #875: PDF

Notaro, M., Z. Liu, R. Gallimore, S. Vavrus, J. Kutzbach, I.C. Prentice, and R. Jacob (2005). Simulated and Observed Pre-Industrial to Modern Vegetation and Climate Changes. Journal of Climate, 18, pp. 3650-3671. CCR #854: PDF

Wu, L., D. Lee, and Z. Liu (2005). The 1976/77 North Pacific Climate Regime Shift: The Role of Subtropical Ocean Adjustment and Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Feedbacks. Journal of Climate, 18(23), 5125-5140, DOI: 10.1175/JCLI3583.1. CCR #866: PDF