School of Earth and Environment

Stephen Mobbs Prof Stephen Mobbs

Professor of Atmospheric Dynamics; Director of NCAS (National Centre for Atmospheric Science)

Telephone number: +44(0) 113 34 35158
Email address: s.d.mobbs@leeds.ac.uk
Room: 11.113

Link to personal page

Biography

Qualifications:BSc Physics, University of Leeds; PhD Applied Mathematics, University of Leeds

Memberships/Fellowships: Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society

Research Interests: Fluid Mechanics, Boundary-layer and Mesoscale Meteorology

Stephen Mobbs joined the School in November 1995. He was previously in the Department of Applied Mathematical Studies in the University of Leeds. He and his research group work on local and regional scale meteorology. They have current research projects with The Meteorological Office (UK), the British Antarctic Survey and the Forestry Commission (UK) concerned with atmospheric boundary-layer turbulence and airflow over hills. Computational modelling and field observation programmes in these areas are being targeted towards the development of better representations of local-scale processes in numerical weather prediction models and regional airflow models. Other current projects involve wind hazards at airports and wind transport of snow in Antartica and mountainous regions.

Publications

  • Lock SJ; Bitzer H-W; Coals A; Gadian A; Mobbs S (2012) Demonstration of a cut-cell representation of 3D orography for studies of atmospheric flows over very steep hills, Monthly Weather Review, 140, pp.411-424. doi: 10.1175/MWR-D-11-00069.1
  • Huang YH; Blyth AM; Brown PRA; Cotton R; Crosier J; Bower KN; Gallagher MW; Jones H; Gadian AM; Choularton TW; Cardwell J; Coe H; Mobbs SD; Hagen M (2011) Development of ice particles in convective clouds observed over the Black Forest mountains during COPS, Q J ROY METEOR SOC, 137, pp.275-286. doi: 10.1002/qj.749
  • Barthlott C; Burton R; Kirshbaum D; Hanley K; Richard E; Chaboureau JP; Trentmann J; Kern B; Bauer HS; Schwitalla T; Keil C; Seity Y; Gadian A; Blyth A; Mobbs S; Flamant C; Handwerker J (2011) Initiation of deep convection at marginal instability in an ensemble of mesoscalemodels: a case-study from COPS, Q J ROY METEOR SOC, 137, pp.118-136. doi: 10.1002/qj.707
  • Corsmeier U; Kalthoff N; Barthlott C; Aoshima F; Behrendt A; Di Girolamo P; Dorninger M; Handwerker J; Kottmeier C; Mahlke H; Mobbs SD; Norton EG; Wickert J; Wulfmeyer V (2011) Processes driving deep convection over complex terrain: a multi-scale analysis of observations from COPS IOP 9c, Q J ROY METEOR SOC, 137, pp.137-155. doi: 10.1002/qj.754
  • Kalthoff N; Kohler M; Barthlott C; Adler B; Mobbs SD; Corsmeier U; Traumner K; Foken T; Eigenmann R; Krauss L; Khodayar S; Girolamo P (2011) The dependence of convection-related parameters on surface and boundary-layer conditions over complex terrain, Q J ROY METEOR SOC, 137, pp.70-80. doi: 10.1002/qj.686
  • Wulfmeyer V; Behrendt A; Kottmeier C; Corsmeier U; Barthlott C; Craig GC; Hagen M; Althausen D; Aoshima F; Arpagaus M; Bauer HS; Bennett L; Blyth A; Brandau C; Champollion C; Crewell S; Dick G; Di Girolamo P; Dorninger M; Dufournet Y; Eigenmann R; Engelmann R; Flamant C; Foken T; Gorgas T; Grzeschik M; Handwerker J; Hauck C; Holler H; Junkermann W; Kalthoff N; Kiemle C; Klink S; Konig M; Krauss L; Long CN; Madonna F; Mobbs S; Neininger B; Pal S; Peters G; Pigeon G; Richard E; Rotach MW; Russchenberg H; Schwitalla T; Smith V; Steinacker R; Trentmann J; Turner DD; van Baelen J; Vogt S; Volkert H; Weckwerth T; Wernli H; Wieser A; Wirth M (2011) The Convective and Orographically-induced Precipitation Study (COPS): the scientific strategy, the field phase, and research highlights, Q J ROY METEOR SOC, 137, pp.3-30. doi: 10.1002/qj.752
  • Bennett LJ; Blyth AM; Burton RR; Gadian AM; Weckwerth TM; Behrendt A; Di Girolamo P; Dorninger M; Lock SJ; Smith VH; Mobbs SD (2011) Initiation of convection over the Black Forest mountains during COPS IOP15a, Q J ROY METEOR SOC, 137, pp.176-189. doi: 10.1002/qj.760
  • Barthlott C; Schipper JW; Kalthoff N; Adler B; Kottmeier C; Blyth A; Mobbs S (2010) Model representation of boundary-layer convergence triggering deep convection over complex terrain: A case study from COPS, ATMOS RES, 95, pp.172-185. doi: 10.1016/j.atmosres.2009.09.010
  • Browning KA; Marsham JH; Nicol JC; Perry FM; White BA; Blyth AM; Mobbs SD (2010) Observations of dual slantwise circulations above a cool undercurrent in a mesoscale convective system, Q J ROY METEOR SOC, 136, pp.354-373. doi: 10.1002/qj.582
  • Kalthoff N; Adler B; Barthlott C; Corsmeier U; Mobbs S; Crewell S; Traumner K; Kottmeier C; Wieser A; Smith V; Di Girolamo P (2009) The impact of convergence zones on the initiation of deep convection: A case study from COPS, ATMOS RES, 93, pp.680-694. doi: 10.1016/j.atmosres.2009.02.010
  • Kottmeier C; Kalthoff N; Barthlott C; Corsmeier U; Van Baelen J; Behrendt A; Behrendt R; Blyth A; Coulter R; Crewell S; Di Girolamo P; Dorninger M; Flamant C; Foken T; Hagen M; Hauck C; Holler H; Konow H; Kunz M; Mahlke H; Mobbs S; Richard E; Steinacker R; Weckwerth T; Wieser A; Wulfmeyer V (2008) Mechanisms initiating deep convection over complex terrain during COPS, METEOROL Z, 17, pp.931-948. doi: 10.1127/0941-2948/2008/0348
  • Grubisic V; Doyle JD; Kuettner J; Mobbs S; Smith RB; Whiteman CD; Dirks R; Czyzyk S; Cohn SA; Vosper S; Weissmann M; Haimov S; De Wekker SFJ; Pan LL; Chow FK (2008) THE TERRAIN-INDUCED ROTOR EXPERIMENT A Field Campaign Overview Including Observational Highlights, B AM METEOROL SOC, 89, pp.1513-+. doi: 10.1175/2008BAMS2487.1
  • Lewis HW; Mobbs SD; Lehning M (2008) Observations of cross-ridge flows across steep terrain, Q J ROY METEOR SOC, 134, pp.801-816. doi: 10.1002/qj.259
  • Wulfmeyer V; Behrendt A; Bauer HS; Kottmeier C; Corsmeier U; Blyth A; Craig G; Schumann U; Hagen M; Crewell S; Di Girolamo P; Flamant C; Miller M; Montani A; Mobbs S; Richard E; Rotach MW; Arpagaus M; Russchenberg H; Schlussel P; Konig M; Gartner V; Steinacker R; Dorninger M; Turner DD; Weckwerth T; Hense A; Simmer C (2008) THE CONVECTIVE AND OROGRAPHICALLY INDUCED PRECIPITATION STUDY A Research and Development Project of the World Weather Research Program for Improving Quantitative Precipitation Forecasting in Low-Mountain Regions, B AM METEOROL SOC, 89, pp.1477-+. doi: 10.1175/2008BAMS2367.1
  • Lewis HW; Mobbs SD; Vosper SB; Brown AR (2008) The effect of surface heating on hill-induced flow separation, BOUND-LAY METEOROL, 129, pp.269-287. doi: 10.1007/s10546-008-9311-0
  • Sheridan PF; Horlacher V; Rooney GG; Hignett P; Mobbs SD; Vosper SB (2007) Influence of lee waves on the near-surface flow downwind of the Pennines, Q J ROY METEOR SOC, 133, pp.1353-1369. doi: 10.1002/qj.110
  • Browning KA; Blyth AM; Clark PA; Corsmeier U; Morcrette CJ; Agnew JL; Ballard SP; Bamber D; Barthlott C; Bennett LJ; Beswick KM; Bitter M; Bozier KE; Brooks BJ; Collier CG; Davies F; Deny B; Dixon MA; Feuerle T; Forbes RM; Gaffard C; Gray MD; Hankers R; Hewison TJ; Kalthoff N; Khodayar S; Kohler M; Kottmeier C; Kraut S; Kunz M; Ladd DN; Lean HW; Lenfant J; Li Z; Marsham J; Mcgregor J; Mobbs SD; Nicol J; Norton E; Parker DJ; Perry F; Ramatschi M; Ricketts HMA; Roberts NM; Russell A; Schulz H; Slack EC; Vaughan G; Waight J; Wareing DP; Watson RJ; Webb AR; Wieser A (2007) The Convective Storm Initiation Project, B AM METEOROL SOC, 88, pp.1939-+. doi: 10.1175/BAMS-88-12-1939
  • Mayr GJ; Armi L; Gohm A; Zangl G; Durran DR; Flamant C; Gabersek S; Mobbs S; Ross A; Weissmann M (2007) Gap flows: Results from the Mesoscale Alpine Programme, Q J ROY METEOR SOC, 133, pp.881-896. doi: 10.1002/qj.66
  • Burton RR; Vosper SB; Mobbs SD (2006) Underlying structures in orographic flow: An analysis of measurements made on the Isle of Arran, Q J ROY METEOR SOC, 132, pp.1457-1466. doi: 10.1256/qj.05.192
  • Quinn L; Mardia KV; Mobbs SD; Vosper SB (2005) Statistical analysis for high resolution data assimilation, In: Barber S; Baxter PD; Mardia KV; Walls RE (Ed) Quantitative Biology, Shape Analysis, and Wavelets, LASR 2005 Proceedings, Leeds University Press, pp.159-162.
  • Burton RR; Vosper SB; Mobbs SD (2005) Underlying structures in modelled orographic flow, Croatian Meteorological Journal, pp.pp.469.
  • Mobbs SD; Vosper SB; Sheridan PF; Cardoso R; Burton RR; Arnold SJ (2005) Observations of downslope winds and rotors in the Falkland Islands, Q J ROY METEOR SOC, 131, pp.329-351. doi: 10.1256/qj.04.51
  • Vaughan DG; Anderson PS; King JC; Mann GW; Mobbs SD; Ladkin RS (2004) Imaging of firn isochrones across an Antarctic ice rise and implications for patterns of snow accumulation rate, J GLACIOL, 50, pp.413-418.
  • Tian WS; Parker DJ; Mobbs S; Hill M; Kilburn CAD; Ladd D (2004) Observing coherent boundary layer motions using remote sensing and surface pressure measurement, J ATMOS OCEAN TECH, 21, pp.1481-1490.
  • Sheridan WP; Vosper SB; Mobbs SD (2004) Rotors and downslope winds in the Falklands, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society , 85, pp.1059-1060.
  • King JC; Anderson PS; Vaughan DG; Mann GW; Mobbs SD; Vosper SB (2004) Wind-borne redistribution of snow across an Antarctic ice rise, J GEOPHYS RES-ATMOS, 109, . doi: 10.1029/2003JD004361
  • Ross AN; Arnold S; Vosper SB; Mobbs SD; Dixon N; Robins AG (2004) A comparison of wind-tunnel experiments and numerical simulations of neutral and stratified flow over a hill, BOUND-LAY METEOROL, 113, pp.427-459.
  • Quinn L; Mobbs SD; Mardia KV; Vosper SB (2004) Spatiotemporal analysis of airflow over hills, In: Aykroyd RG; Barber S; Mardia KV (Ed) Bioinformatics, Images, and Wavelets, LASR 2004 Proceedings, Leeds University Press, pp.143-145.
  • Mayr GJ; Armi L; Arnold S; Banta RM; Darby LS; Durran DD; Flamant C; Gabersek S; Gohm A; Mayr R; Mobbs S; Nance LB; Vergeiner I; Vergeiner J; Whiteman CD (2004) Gap flow measurements during the Mesoscale Alpine Programme, METEOROL ATMOS PHYS, 86, pp.99-119. doi: 10.1007/s00703-003-0022-2
  • Greenslade M; Hunt JCR; Mobbs S; Eames I (2003) The distortion of weak fronts by mesoscale orography, FLUID DYN RES, 33, pp.173-189. doi: 10.1016/S0169-5983(03)00045-5
  • Vosper SB; Mobbs SD; Gardiner BA (2002) Measurements of the near-surface flow over a hill, Q J ROY METEOR SOC, 128, pp.2257-2280. doi: 10.1256/qj.01.11
  • Vergeiner JM; Mobbs SD; Mayr GJ (2002) Foehn detection, B AM METEOROL SOC, 83, pp.968-969.
  • Thielen J; Gadian A; Vosper S; Mobbs S (2002) Airflow modelling studies over the Isle of Arran, Scotland, WIND AND STRUCTURES, 5, pp.115-126.
  • Mann GW; Anderson PS; Mobbs SD (2000) Profile measurements of blowing snow at Halley, Antarctica, Journal of Geophysical Research, pp.24491-24508.
  • Lewis HW; Mobbs SD; Gohm A; Hill MK; Arnold SJ; Mayr GJ (Not yet published) Turbulent fluxes measured in the Wipptal during MAP, Quarterly Journal of Royal Meteorological Society, .