Esa-Matti Tastula

Esa-Matti’s Story

Esa-Matti is a data scientist for StormGeo’s Metocean Data. He specializes in numerical weather prediction and Arctic and Antarctic meteorology. At StormGeo, Esa-Matti develops applications to acquire and process the meteorological and oceanographic data used for the shipping division’s operations, services and products.

Driven by a dedication to his academic field and the science of weather prediction, Esa-Matti devises processes to run internal meteorological and oceanographic computer models.

“Physical phenomena in the atmosphere and ocean have been observed for centuries. Associated explanations that were once mythical and inaccurate have evolved to become scientific and predictive.”

Esa-Matti also uses his expertise to develop tailored meteorological services to StormGeo customers: he guides operations, sales, and the customer service team in satisfying special requests from clients for customized weather data.

“With the aid of today’s technology, the rate at which we can model and test new theories is simply unprecedented; new paradigms like cloud and quantum computing are poised to increase these capabilities by orders of magnitude in the near future. I hope to contribute to, and guide others on, this exciting and promising path!”

Recent research includes:

• Boundary layer meteorology
• Arctic and Antarctic meteorology
• Weather Research & Forecasting (WRF) model
• Numerical weather prediction
• Eddy Diffusivity Mass Flux (EDMF) parameterizations
• Quasi-Normal Scale Elimination (QNSE) theory

Expertise
Meteorology; Weather Forecasting; Data Science; Numerical modeling

Publications:

Tastula, E.-M., LeMone, M. A., Dudhia, J. and Galperin, B. (2016) ‘The impact of the QNSE-EDMF scheme and its modifications on boundary layer parameterization in WRF: modelling of CASES-97’. Q.J.R. Meteorol. Soc., 142: 1182–1195. doi: 10.1002/qj.2723.

Pirazzini, R., Räisänen, P., Vihma, T., Johansson, M., and Tastula, E.-M. (2016) ‘Measurements and modelling of snow particle size and shortwave infrared albedo over a melting Antarctic ice sheet’. The Cryosphere, 9: 2357–2381. doi: 10.5194/tc-9-2357-2015, 2015.

Tastula E-M, B. Galperin, J. Dudhia, M.A. LeMone, S. Sukoriansky, T. Vihma, (2015) ‘Methodical assessment of the differences between the QNSE and MYJ PBL schemes for stable conditions’. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society. doi: 10.1002/qj.2503.

Tastula E-M, B. Galperin, S. Sukoriansky, A. Luhar, P. Anderson, (2014) ‘The importance of surface layer parameterization in modeling of stable atmospheric boundary layers’. Atmospheric Science Letters. doi: 10.1002/asl2.525.

Tastula E-M, T. Vihma, E. L Andreas, and B. Galperin, (2013) ‘Validation of the Diurnal Cycles in Atmospheric Reanalyses over Antarctic Sea Ice’. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 118: 4194–4204. doi: 10.1002/jgrd.50336

Tastula E-M, T. Vihma, and E. L Andreas, (2012) ‘Evaluation of the Polar WRF from Modeling of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer over Sea Ice in Autumn and Winter’. Monthly Weather Review, 140: 3919–3935. doi: 10.1175/MWR-D-12-00016.1

Mäkiranta, E., T. Vihma, A. Sjöblom, and E-M Tastula, (2011) ‘Observations and Modelling of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer over Sea-Ice in a Svalbard Fjord’. Boundary-Layer Meteorology, 140: 105–123. doi: 10.1007/s10546-011-9609-1

Tastula E-M and T. Vihma, (2011) ‘WRF Model Experiments on the Antarctic Atmosphere in Winter’, Monthly Weather Review, 139: 1279–1291. doi: 10.1175/2010MWR3478.1

Education:
Esa-Matti holds a PhD degree in Physical Oceanography from the University of South Florida.