Emanuele Di Lorenzo
VerifiedBrown University · Geology
Active 2003–2026
About
Emanuele Di Lorenzo is a professor in the Department of Earth, Environmental & Planetary Sciences at Brown University. His research focuses on ocean and climate science and solutions, specifically large-scale ocean-atmosphere coupled dynamics, solutions for coastal resilience, and the dynamics of climate and marine ecosystems. He is also the Founding Chairman of Ocean Visions, a nonprofit organization dedicated to catalyzing solutions for ocean and climate health. His work includes studying the impact of marine heatwaves on ocean circulation and marine life, as well as developing models to understand migratory behaviors of marine species such as North Pacific albacore tuna. Di Lorenzo's research utilizes satellite data, climate models, and electronic tagging data to explore the complex interactions within ocean systems and their influence on climate and ecological processes.
Research topics
- Environmental science
- Climatology
- Oceanography
- Geology
- Computer Science
- Environmental resource management
- Business
- Geography
- Cartography
Selected publications
Communications Earth & Environment · 2026-04-15
articleOpen accessSenior authorNortheast Pacific marine heatwaves occur year-round but are shaped by seasonally-varying dynamics including El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and North Pacific atmosphere-ocean interactions. Using a data-driven cyclostationary linear inverse model constructed from 64 years of monthly sea surface temperature and height reanalyses, we demonstrate that longer-lived marine heatwaves preferentially begin in winter, when ENSO teleconnections and oceanic memory most strongly influence event amplification. Springtime subsurface storage and subsequent fall/winter reemergence of thermal anomalies drive extended persistence through wintertime re-intensification. While intense events can also begin in summer, without strong ENSO and reemergence dynamics they rarely persist. The relative importance of tropical forcing versus North Pacific upper-ocean dynamics varies by region and season, producing distinct marine heatwave “flavors” linked to different ENSO types or to internal North Pacific processes alone. These findings reveal how seasonal phase-locking drives marine heatwave evolution, with implications for predictability and marine ecosystem impacts. Persistent marine heatwave events in the Northeast Pacific preferentially begin in winter, with El Niño-Southern Oscillation and re-emergence influencing duration, according to empirical dynamical modelling of the Northeast Pacific.
Scientific Reports · 2026-04-06
articleOpen accessJuvenile North Pacific albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) undertake annual long distance migrations between offshore waters and the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCLME), yet the drivers of the timing of these movements remain unclear. Highly migratory marine predators like albacore often use environmental cues to track seasonal resources and optimize foraging. Mixed layer depth (MLD), defined as the well-mixed surface layer of the ocean, has previously been associated with important albacore physiological and behavioral patterns. Using electronic tagging data and an individual-based model (IBM) we show MLD has a pivotal role in influencing albacore migration timing and depth preferences. Albacore actively expand their vertical habitat in correspondence with wintertime MLD deepening and appear to utilize a 30m MLD threshold to initiate preemptive movements to reach seasonally and spatially explicit foraging resources. Model simulations using MLD-based rules and an ocean sea surface temperature (SST) constraint successfully capture the seasonality of movements and distribution of albacore. Climate projections suggest that by 2070–2099, SST warming will shift albacore distributions poleward and MLD shoaling will prolong their coastal residence, potentially increasing albacore concentrations in the Northern CCLME. These findings highlight the relevance of subsurface ocean conditions to the movement of highly migratory species and demonstrate the utility of IBMs in the study of complex migratory behaviors.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2026-04-23
articleOpen accessZenodo repository for: Song, S.-Y., Stevenson, S., Di Lorenzo, E., Capotondi, A., Newman, M., Schneider, N., & Joh, Y. (2026):Two contrasting atmospheric circulation patterns linked to Kuroshio Extension variability, Science Advances, (under revision) This Zenodo repository contains the processed datasets and analysis code used to generate all figures and results presented in the manuscript. The analysis combines observational datasets, reanalysis products, and targeted atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) simulations, including both global SST-forced (GOGA) and tropical SST-forced (TOGA) ensemble experiments based on CESM2, as well as SST-prescribed experiments using E3SMv2, to isolate the roles of regional and remote SST forcing in shaping atmospheric circulation patterns linked to Kuroshio Extension variability. The Zenodo repository includes: Python scripts needed to reproduce the results Processed datasets used in the study, including: Sea surface temperature (SST), latent heat flux (LHF), storm-track activity (STA), sea level pressure (SLP), and zonal and meridional winds at 925 hPa (UWD and VWD), derived from observational reanalysis and model outputs. All datasets are provided in netCDF format and span two analysis periods: 1977-1999 (P1) and 2000-2022 (P2).
North Pacific Model Biases Influence Kuroshio Extension Atmospheric Circulation Patterns
Geophysical Research Letters · 2026-02-27
articleOpen accessAbstract The Kuroshio Extension (KE) system significantly impacts decadal North Pacific climate variability by modulating downstream atmospheric circulation patterns. Using satellite‐derived and reanalysis products, and simulations from the High Resolution Model Intercomparison Project within the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6, we evaluate how well coupled models reproduce KE atmospheric circulation patterns and their mechanisms. Observational KE regression patterns show that warm sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies over the Kuroshio‐Oyashio Extension (KOE) enhance local surface evaporation and lower‐tropospheric diabatic heating, accompanied by downstream cyclonic circulation anomalies over the North Pacific. In coupled models, a stronger latent heat flux response is linked to better simulation of these mechanisms and circulation patterns, whereas models with cold SST biases over the KOE region systematically underperform. Increasing resolution does not consistently alleviate these biases, reflecting structural issues across models that may obscure the potential benefits of higher resolution.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2026-04-23
articleOpen accessZenodo repository for: Song, S.-Y., Stevenson, S., Di Lorenzo, E., Capotondi, A., Newman, M., Schneider, N., & Joh, Y. (2026):Two contrasting atmospheric circulation patterns linked to Kuroshio Extension variability, Science Advances, (under revision) This Zenodo repository contains the processed datasets and analysis code used to generate all figures and results presented in the manuscript. The analysis combines observational datasets, reanalysis products, and targeted atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) simulations, including both global SST-forced (GOGA) and tropical SST-forced (TOGA) ensemble experiments based on CESM2, as well as SST-prescribed experiments using E3SMv2, to isolate the roles of regional and remote SST forcing in shaping atmospheric circulation patterns linked to Kuroshio Extension variability. The Zenodo repository includes: Python scripts needed to reproduce the results Processed datasets used in the study, including: Sea surface temperature (SST), latent heat flux (LHF), storm-track activity (STA), sea level pressure (SLP), and zonal and meridional winds at 925 hPa (UWD and VWD), derived from observational reanalysis and model outputs. All datasets are provided in netCDF format and span two analysis periods: 1977-1999 (P1) and 2000-2022 (P2).
Global hotspots for sea-level changes: decadal extremes and uncertainties from CMIP6 models
2025-04-17
preprintOpen accessKnowledge is limited regarding decadal extremes and uncertainties of sea-level change (SLC) at the regional scale, which necessitates the need for better understanding of these changes to enhance future coastal preparedness. To this end, we examined sea-level extremes for 23 World reference regions based on tide gauges (TGs) observations from 1950 through 2014. We then used these observations to evaluate the fidelity of climate models (CMs) and earth system models (ESMs) participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6), using trend analysis, correlation coefficient and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) as metrics. Our findings show the spatial distribution of SLC varies between -10.0 mm/year and 6.52 mm/year, with an area-weighted global average of 1.29 ± 0.32 mm/year. Five regions display a rapid increasing rates exceeding twice the global average: E. and C. North-America, N. Central-America, W. C. Asia, and S. E. Asia. Together, these regions constitute 26% of the total analyzed area. The CMIP6 simulations, especially ESMs, have a systematic underestimation of SLC, compared with TGs. We found poor agreement between CMIP6 simulations and TGs (weak correlation and larger RMSE) in subtropical North Atlantic regions and W. Central Asia. Our findings facilitate a multifactor hazard regional analysis that includes SLC alongside temperature, precipitation, and other parameters. It also identifies directions for future model development toward better detecting of extremes and narrowing uncertainties in sea level simulations.
Geophysical Research Letters · 2025-10-16
articleOpen accessAbstract Pacific decadal variability (PDV), reflected in low‐frequency Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) changes, impacts global climate. Disentangling anthropogenic effects upon PDV is challenging because PDV and anthropogenic forcing vary on similar time scales. Using single‐forcing climate model large ensembles, we find that anthropogenic forcing drives a spatially varying pattern of mean‐state change in Pacific SST that projects onto PDV patterns, principally the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and the North Pacific Gyre Oscillation (NPGO). When the trend is removed by subtracting the ensemble mean, there is no forced change of either PDV mode. However, analysis of individual ensemble members, where the mean‐state trend cannot be cleanly removed, yields apparent anthropogenic changes in PDO and NPGO decadal variability. This suggests that observed PDV responses to anthropogenic forcing may be erroneously convolved with the background trend pattern. Therefore, correctly determining the mean‐state trend is a necessary precursor for identifying possible forced changes to PDV.
ICES Journal of Marine Science · 2025-08-05 · 1 citations
articleOpen accessAbstract Interdisciplinary international science programs that combine environmental, ecological, and social research are pivotal in advancing ocean sustainability by integrating diverse expertise and fostering collaboration across borders. We examine the evolution and accomplishments of the North Pacific Marine Science Organization’s (PICES) Forecasting and Understanding Trends, Uncertainty and Responses of North Pacific Ecosystems (FUTURE) Program, designed to understand and communicate the future of North Pacific ecosystems under various natural and anthropogenic forces. The program’s unique application of the North Pacific Social-Ecological-Environmental Systems (SEES) framework has aimed to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration and enhance our comprehension of ecosystem responses to climate variability. Through a combination of systematic review and quantitative text analysis of research outputs, we evaluate the program’s success in addressing its scientific objectives, and identify key areas for future research. Our findings highlight significant shifts in PICES’ research focus over time, evolving from basic marine science to applied ecosystem management. We also discuss the challenges faced in understanding ecosystem resilience, the impact of human activities, and the effectiveness of interdisciplinary approaches in advancing ocean sustainability. The lessons learned from the first two phases of the FUTURE Program (2010–2020) provide valuable insights for planning and executing large-scale international science initiatives aimed at enhancing ocean sustainability and addressing global climate variability.
Ocean Modelling · 2025-07-17 · 1 citations
articleOn the sensitivity of Optimum Multiparameter Analysis: a California Current System case study
Deep Sea Research Part II Topical Studies in Oceanography · 2025-06-01
article
Recent grants
NSF · $187k · 2006–2010
Origins of prolonged ocean temperature extremes in the North Pacific
NSF · $387k · 2016–2020
NSF · $450k · 2006–2013
Collaborative Research: An Eddy-resolved Ensemble Approach to Pacific Ocean Decadal Variability
NSF · $392k · 2014–2018
Transport Dynamics of the Northeast Pacific In a Changing Climate
NSF · $489k · 2020–2023
Frequent coauthors
- 56 shared
Antonietta Capotondi
Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences
- 51 shared
Arthur J. Miller
University of California, San Diego
- 43 shared
Steven J. Bograd
NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center
- 41 shared
Elliott L. Hazen
NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center
- 34 shared
Mercedes Pozo Buil
University of California, Santa Cruz
- 34 shared
Matthew Newman
NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory
- 33 shared
Niklas Schneider
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
- 31 shared
Nicole S. Lovenduski
University of Colorado Boulder
Labs
Emanuele Di Lorenzo Research GroupPI
Awards & honors
- AGU David E. Lumley Young Scientist Scholarship (2024)
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