GEOG 111--The Physical Environment
GEOG 211--Physical Geography
GEOG 316--Weather and Climate
GEOG 415/515--Field Geography of the U.S.
GEOG 416/516--Synoptic Climatology
GEOG 615--Advanced Climatology
Research Interests
Mid-latitude circulation patterns, jet streaks and cyclone dynamics, linkages between cyclone airflow and intensity, synoptic climatology of arid environments.
Baroclinic waves that amplify in the lee of the Colorado Rockies strongly influence the precipitation and temperature climatology of the central and eastern United States, particularly in late winter/early spring. Dr. Bierly's most recent research objectives, funded by the National Science Foundation, are devoted to understanding the meso- and synoptic scale structure of three-dimensional airflow within cyclones and how it varies with respect to low level wind maxima and the intensification history of the storm. Because relative-motion isentropic and pseudo-isentropic airstreams are strongly linked to stability fields and fronts within a large-scale storm system, the climatologic investigation of their structure and evolution is essential to the understanding of cyclone dynamics and resultant weather. Along these lines, Dr. Bierly is also particularly interested in the amount of variation controlled by the specific trajectory of the cyclone in governing the development or dissipation of the system.
Selected Publications
Bierly, G.D., 2005. Extratropical cyclones. The
Encyclopedia of World Climatology (J.
Oliver, ed.), Springer, 373-377.
Bierly, G.D., 2005. Vorticity. The Encyclopedia
of World Climatology (J. Oliver, ed.),
Springer, 794-796.
Gatrell, J., Bierly, G., and Jensen, R., 2005.
Research Design and Proposal
Writing in Spatial Science. Springer, 216 pp.
E. R. Reiter and Bierly, G.D., 2005. Jet streams.
The Encyclopedia of World
Climatology (J. Oliver, ed.), Springer, 435-439.
Bierly, G.D. (with J.D. Gatrell, equal
authorship), 2004. Structural and compositional
change in geography graduate programs in the United
States, 1991-2001. The
Professional Geographer, 56, 3, 337-344.
Gatrell, J.D. and G.D. Bierly, 2004. Structural
and compositional change in Canadian
geography graduate programs, 1991-2001. Great Lakes
Geographer, 10, 2, 113-121.
Gatrell, J. D. and G. D. Bierly, 2002. Weather
and voter turnout: Kentucky primary and
general elections, 1990-2000. Southeastern Geographer,
42, 1-21.
Bierly, G.D. and J.A. Winkler, 2001. A composite
analysis of airstreams within cold-
season Colorado cyclones. Weather and Forecasting, 16,
2, 57-80.
Oliver, J. E., G. D. Bierly and H. Panofsky,
2001. Climatology. Encyclopedia of
Physical Science and Technology, Academic Press, 3,
1-13.
Bierly, G. D., J. A. Harrington, Jr., and D. F.
Wilhelm, 2000. A climatology of surface
cyclone trajectory and intensity for heavy-snow events
at three Midwestern stations.
PhysicalGeography, 21, 522-537.
Bierly, G. D., 1999. An investigation of the
influence of cyclonic airstreams on
Midwestern snowfall. The Professional Geographer,
340-349.
Pease, P. P., G. D. Bierly, V. P. Tchakerian and
N. W. Tindale, 1999. Mineralogical
characterization and transport pathways of dune sand
using Landsat TM data, Wahiba
Sand Sea, Sultanate of Oman. Geomorphology, 29, 235-249.
Bierly, G. D., 1998. Notable weather events.
Renaissance in the Heartland:
The Indiana Experience, Pathways in Geography Series,
National Council for
Geographic Education (J. Oliver, ed), 71-73.
Bierly, G. D., 1997. The role of stratospheric
intrusions in Colorado cyclogenesis.
Physical Geography, 18, 4, 346-362.
Bierly, G. D. and J. A. Harrington, Jr., 1995. A
climatology of transition season
Colorado cyclones: 1961-1990. Journal of Climate, 8,
853-863.
