Joseph Kojo Ansong (BSc (UCC), MSc (The Netherlands), PhD (Canada))
Research interest
My specialization is in the area of Applied Mathematics, specifically in Fluid Dynamics and Mathematical Modeling. My research interests include the dynamics of turbulent plumes, oceanic internal gravity waves, buoyancy driven flows and geophysical flows. I also enjoy using laboratory experimentation to understand buoyancy driven flows.
Current research/project(s)
One of my current research projects involve using dynamical systems theories and numerical modeling to study the so-called Lagrangian Coherent Structures along the coast of Ghana. The long term goal and motivation is to use regional ocean models to track pollutants along the Gulf of Guinea, especially in the scenario of an oil spill. A second research project focuses on using mathematical theories and numerical models to understand geophysical flows with practical applications, such as coastal upwelling along the Gulf of Guinea (which encompasses the coast of Ghana). Upwelling is a seasonal oceanographic event in which nutrient-rich cool water from below the ocean moves to the surface, leading to an increase in fishing activities along the coast. An interesting scientific question is: “what are the dynamic processes that lead to upwelling along the Gulf of Guinea?” This question is presently being investigated by my PhD student. Finally, one of my projects involve developing numerical tools for analyzing vehicular traffic in some principal streets of Accra, with the view to using mathematical analysis to help ease traffic congestion. The analysis of traffic flow in the Legon Bypass and Okponglo roads in Accra is being undertaken by my MPhil student.
Past research projects
Climate Process Team (CPT), The National Science Foundation (NSF; USA).
Awards
Overall Best Graduating Student and Valedictorian, University of Cape Coast, 1999;
Graduate Student Teaching Award, University of Alberta (Canada), 2007
Recent publications
Luecke C.A., B.K. Arbic, J.G. Richman, J.F. Shriver, M.H. Alford, Joseph K. Ansong, S.L. Bassette, M.C., Buijsman, D. Menemenlis, R.B. Scott, P.G. Timko, G. Voet, A.J. Wallcraft, and L. Zamudio, “Statistical Comparisons of temperature variance and kinetic energy in global ocean models and observations: Results from mesoscale to internal wave frequencies”, Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 125 (5), doi: 10.1029/2019JC015306, 2020
Janet S., A. L. Gordon, S. E. Wijffels, M. Feng, S. Hu, A. Koch-Larrouy, H. E. Phillips, D. Nugroho, A. Napitu, K. Pujiana, R. D. Susanto, B. M. Sloyan, D. Yuan, N. F. Riama, S. Siswanto, A. Kuswardani, Z. Arifin, A. J. Wahyudi, H. Zhou, T. Nagai, Joseph K. Ansong, R. Bourdalle-Badie, J. Chanut, F. Lyard, B. K. Arbic, A. Ramdhani, and A. Setiawan, “Detecting Change in the Indonesian Seas”, Frontiers in Marine Science, 6:257,
doi: 10.3389/fmars.2019.00257, 2019.
Joseph K. Ansong, B.K. Arbic, H.L. Simmons, M.H. Alford, P.G. Timko, E.J. Metzger, J.F. Shriver, A.J. Wallcraft. “Geographic distribution of diurnal and semidiurnal parametric subharmonic instability in a global ocean circulation model”, Journal of Physical Oceanography, 48, 1409-1431, doi:10.1175/JPO-D-17-0164.1, 2018.
B.K. Arbic, M.H. Alford, Joseph K. Ansong, Maarten C. Buijsman, Robert B. Ciotti, J. Thomas Farrar, Robert W. Hallberg, Christopher E. Henze, Christopher N. Hill,
Conrad A. Luecke, Dimitris Menemenlis, E. Joseph Metzger, Malte Müller, Arin D.
Nelson, Bron C. Nelson, Hans E. Ngodock, Rui M. Ponte, James G. Richman, Anna C.
Savage, Robert B. Scott, Jay F. Shriver, Harper L. Simmons, Innocent Souopgui, Patrick
G. Timko, Alan J. Wallcraft, Luis Zamudio, and Zhongxiang Zhao,
“A Primer on Global Internal Tide and Internal Gravity Wave Continuum Modeling in HYCOM and MITgcm”, In: New Frontiers in Operational Oceanography; E. Chassignet, A. Pascual, J. Tintore, and J. Verron, Eds., GODAE OceanView, 307-392, Chap 13, doi:10.17125/gov2018.ch13, 2018
Joseph K. Ansong, B.K. Arbic, M.C. Buijsman, M.H. Alford, Z. Zhao, H.L. Simmons, P.G. Timko, J.G. Richman, E.J. Metzger, J.F. Shriver, A.J. Wallcraft.
“Semidiurnal internal tide energy fluxes and their variability in a global ocean model and moored observations”, Journal of Geophysical Research, 122 (3), 1882-1900, doi:10.1002/2016JC012184, 2017.
Joseph K. Ansong, Brian K. Arbic, Maarten C. Buijsman, James G. Richman, Jay F. Shriver, Alan J. Wallcraft, “Indirect evidence for substantial damping of low-mode internal tides in the open ocean”, Journal of Geophysical Research Oceans,120 (9), 6057-6071, doi:10.1002/2015JC010998, 2015.
A. C. Savage, B.K. Arbic, M.H. Alford, Joseph K. Ansong, J.T. Farrar, D. Menemenlis, A.K. O'Rourke, J.G. Richman, J.F. Shriver, G. Voet, A.J. Wallcraft, and L. Zamudio, “Spectral decomposition of internal gravity wave sea surface height in global ocean models”, Journal of Geophysical Research, 122 (10), 7803-7821, doi:10.1002/2017JC013009, 2017.
MacKinnon J.A., Z. Zhao, C.B. Whalen, A.F. Waterhouse, D.S. Trossman, O.M. Sun,
L.C. St. Laurent, H.L. Simmons, K. Polzin, R. Pinkel, A. Pickering, N.J. Norton,
J.D. Nash, R. Musgrave, L.M. Merchant, A.V. Melet, B. Mater, S. Legg, W.G. Large,
E. Kunze, J.M. Klymak, M. Jochum, S.R. Jayne, R.W. Hallberg, S.M. Griffies,
P. Gent, S. Diggs, G. Danabasoglu, E.P. Chassignet, M.C. Buijsman, F.O. Bryan,
B.P. Briegleb, A. Barna, B.K. Arbic, Joseph K. Ansong, M.H. Alford,
“Climate process team on internal-wave driven ocean mixing”, Bulletin of the American (BAMS), doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-16-0030.1, 2017.
Timko, P.G., B.K. Arbic, J.A. Go, Joseph K. Ansong, W.H.F. Smith,
A. Melet and A.J. Wallcraft, “Impact of synthetic abyssal hill roughness
on resolved motions in numerical global ocean tide models”, Ocean Modelling,
112, 1-16, doi:10.1016/j.ocemod.2017.02.005, 2017.
Buijsman, M.C., Joseph .K. Ansong, B.K. Arbic, J.G. Richman, J.F. Shriver, P.G. Timko, A.J.Wallcraft, C.B. Whalen, and Z. Zhao, “Impact of internal wave drag on the semidiurnal energy balance in a global ocean circulation model”, Journal of Physical Oceanography, 46, 1399-1419, doi:10.1175/JPO-D-15-0074.1, 2016.
Joseph K. Ansong, Alexandra Anderson-Frey and Bruce Sutherland, “Turbulent fountains in one- and two-layer cross flows”, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, vol. 689, 254-278, 2011.
Joseph K. Ansong and Bruce Sutherland, “Internal gravity waves generated by convective plumes”, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, vol. 648, 405-434, 2010.
Bruce R. Sutherland, Brace Lee, Joseph K. Ansong, “Light attenuation experiments on double diffusive plumes and fountains”, Physics of Fluids, vol. 24, doi:10.1063/1.4730431, 2012.
Joseph K. Ansong, P. Kyba and B.R. Sutherland, Fountains impinging on a density interface, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Vol. 595, 115-139 (cover article), 2008.
Professional membership(s)
American Mathematical Society