Our group aims to better understand how the ocean works and how the ocean is affected by and responds to the ever-changing climate

We are a group of physical oceanographers in the School of Marine Science and Policy at the University of Delaware. Our research is mainly on the roles of the global ocean in the climate system. We are particularly interested in the connection and exchange between the upper and deep layers of the global ocean and their implications for climate change. Our previous and current research generally falls into two topics: 1) influences of mesoscale eddies on the physical, biological and geological processes in the deep ocean, and 2) vertical transport of heat, salt and other tracers and its variation with climate. Our studies are mainly carried out by analyzing in situ and satellite measurements, examining ocean synthesis products, and conducting numerical simulations. The Liang Group can be reached @ xfliang at udel.edu.

Group News

2023

January

One paper led by graduate student Minghai Huang was published in the Journal of Physical Oceanography.  In this paper, we described the seasonal variability of eddies in the Northwestern Tropical Atlantic Ocean and explored the underlying mechanisms using a novel analysis method. This paper can be found here: https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/phoc/aop/JPO-D-22-0200.1/JPO-D-22-0200.1.xml

2022

December

One paper led by Yingli Zhu was published in Frontiers in Marine Science. In this paper, we describe the spatial and temporal characteristics of the Eulerian mesoscale eddies in the Gulf of Mexico based on multi-decade satellite data. The paper can be found here: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.1087060/full

May

I gave a department seminar talk at UD to review the activities of our group over the past few years. A recording of the talk can be found here https://capture.udel.edu/media/SMSP+Spring+2022+Colloquia+Speaker+Series+-+Dr.+Xinfeng+Liang/1_6g3ml806/187881983

April

Our paper on the western boundary current upwelling was selected as a Research Spotlight by AGU EOS https://eos.org/research-spotlights/hidden-upwelling-systems-may-be-overlooked-branches-of-ocean-circulation

March

After a long and bumpy journey, our paper on the upwelling associated with the major Western Boundary Currents was finally accepted in JGR-Oceans. We believe this upwelling is an overlooked branch of the global ocean circulation. A preprint can be found at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358948170_Hidden_Upwelling_Systems_Associated_with_Major_Western_Boundary_Currents

2021

July

Our paper entitled “A Comparison of the Variability and Changes in Global Ocean Heat Content from Multiple Objective Analysis Products During the Argo Period” was accepted by the Journal of Climate. A preprint can be found at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352906970_A_Comparison_of_the_Variability_and_Changes_in_Global_Ocean_Heat_Content_from_Multiple_Objective_Analysis_Products_During_the_Argo_Period

May

Yang Zhang’s paper on the Regional Trends in Southern Ocean Eddy Kinetic Energy was published in JGR-Oceans. The paper can be found at https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2020JC016973

January

Minghai Huang’s paper on the roles of mesoscale eddies in connecting the tropical Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico was accepted by GRL. A preprint of this paper can be found at https://www.essoar.org/doi/10.1002/essoar.10504535.1.