Nathaniel Alan Brunsell

Nathaniel Brunsell
  • Professor
  • Director, Environmental Studies Program

Contact Info

Office Phone:
785-864-2021
Department Phone:
785-864-5143
Malott Hall #4023

Research —

Research interests:

  • biometeorology
  • scaling processes from leaf to pixel
  • remote sensing of the surface energy balance
  • turbulence measurements using large aperture scintillometry and eddy covariance
  • ecological consequences of regional climate change
  • surface-precipitation feedbacks
  • implications of regional climate change on extreme value statistics
  • application of non-linear time series analysis to meteorological datasets
  • renewable energy

Teaching —

ATMO/GEOG 731 - Land-Atmosphere Interactions
ATMO 731 - Atmospheric Turbulence
ATMO/GEOG 521- Microclimatology
ATMO 680 - Physical Meteorology
ATMO 642 - Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere

Selected Publications —

Brunsell, Nathaniel A, David A. Rahn, and David B. Mechem. 2021. “Impact of a Nocturnal Low Level Jet on Surface Layer Turbulent Characteristics.” Journal Articles. Journal of Geophysical Research - Atmospheres 126 (7). https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JD034083.
Zheng, Y., N. A. Brunsell, J. Alfieri, and D. Nyogi . 2021. “Impacts of Land Cover Heterogeneity and Land Surface Parameterizations on Turbulent Flow and Mesoscale Simulations.” Journal Articles. Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-020-00768-9.
Oliveira, G de, N A Brunsell, J. M. Chen, Y Shimabukuro, G Mataveli, C Santos, S Stark, A Lima, and L Aragao. 2021. “Legacy Effects Following Fire on Surface Energy, Water and Carbon Fluxes in Mature Amazonian Forests.” Journal Articles. Journal of Geophysical Research - Biogeosciences 126 (5). https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JG005833.
Pereira, G, R Ramos, L Rocha, N A Brunsell, E Merino, G Mataveli, and F Cardozo. 2021. “Rainfall Patterns and Geomorphological Controls Driving Inundation Frequency in Tropical Wetlands: How Does the Pantanal Flood?” Journal Articles. Progress in Physical Geography, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1177/0309133320987719.
Mataveli, G, M. E. D. Chaves, N A Brunsell, and L. Aragão. 2021. “The Emergence of a New Deforestation Hotspot in Amazonia.” Journal Articles. Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation 19 (1): 33–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecon.2021.01.002.
Rosa, E R, L P Pezzi, M F L De Quadro, and N A Brunsell. 2020. “Automated Detection Algorithm for SACZ, Oceanic SACZ and Their Climatological Features.” Journal Articles. Frontiers in Environmental Science 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2020.00018.
Cady, T J, D A Rahn, N A Brunsell, and W Lyles. 2020. “Conversion of Abandoned Property to Green Space as a Strategy to Mitigate the Urban Heat Island Investigated with Numerical Simulations.” Journal Articles. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology 59: 1827–43.
Fisher, J, and Nathaniel Alan Brunsell. 2020. “ECOSTRESS: NASA’s next Generation Mission to Measure<br>evapotranspiration from the International Space Station.” Journal Articles. Water Resources Research 56 (4). https://doi.org/10.1029/2019WR026058.
Brunsell, N A, G de Oliveira, M Barlage, Y Shimabukuro, E Moraes, and L Aragao. 2020. “Examination of Seasonal Water and Carbon Dynamics in Eastern Amazonia: A Comparison of Noah-MP and MODIS.” Journal Articles. Theoretical and Applied Climatology 143,: 571–586.
Dantas, L. G., C. A. C. dos Santos, R. A. de Olinda, J. I. B. de Brito, C. A. G. Santos, E.  S. P. R. Martins, G. de Oliveira, and N. A. Brunsell. 2020. “Rainfall Prediction in the Tate of Paraíba, Northeastern Brazil Using Generalized Additive Models.” Journal Articles. Water 12 (9). https://doi.org/10.3390/w12092478.
Guevara, M, C Arroyo, N Brunsell, C O Cruz, G Domke, J Equinha, and J Etchevers. 2020. “Soil Organic Carbon across Mexico and the Conterminous United States (1991-2010).” Journal Articles. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 34 (3). https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GB006219.
Oliveira, G de, N A Brunsell, T E Crews, L  R de Haan, and G Vico. 2019. “Carbon and Water Relations in Perennial Kernza (Thinopyrum Intermedium): An Overview.” Journal Articles. Plant Science 295: 110279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2019.110279.
Mataveli, Guilherme Augusto Verola, Maria Elisa Siqueira Silva, Daniela de Azeredo Franca, Nathaniel Alan Brunsell, Gabriel de Oliveira, Francielle da Silva Cardozo, Gabriel Bertani, and Gabriel Pereira. 2019. “Characterization and Trends of Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Fire Emissions in the Brazilian Cerrado during 2002-2017.” Journal Articles. Remote Sensing 11 (19). https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11192254.
Caplan, Joshua S., Daniel Gimenez, Daniel R. Hirmas, Nathaniel A. Brunsell, John M. Blair, and Alan K. Knapp. 2019. “Decadal-Scale Shifts in Soil Hydraulic Properties as Induced by Altered Precipitation.” Journal Articles. Science Advances 5 (9). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aau6635.
Wesley, Elizabeth Jane, and Nathaniel A. Brunsell. 2019. “Greenspace Pattern and the Surface Urban Heat Island: A Biophysically-Based Approach to Investigating the Effects of Urban Landscape Configuration.” Journal Articles. Remote Sensing 11 (19). https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11192322.
Mataveli, G A, G Pereira, G de Oliveira, H T Seixas, F de S. Cardozo, Y. Shimabukuro, F. S. Kawakubo, and N. A. Brunsell. Submitted/In Review. “2020 Pantanal’s Widespread Fire: Short- and Long-Term Implications for Biodiversity and Conservation.” Journal Articles. Biodiversity and Conservation.

Grants & Other Funded Activity —

Konza Cluster for the Ameriflux Network (Annually Renewed). DOE - Subcontract from Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. $410000.00. (1/1/2014 - 12/31/2019). Federal. Status: Funded
Collaborative Research EaSM2: Linking Human and Earth System Models to Assess Regional Impacts and Adaption in Urban Systems and their Hinterlands. NSF. $699606.00. (1/1/2013 - 12/31/2018). Federal. Status: Funded. $4.17 Million; KU portion: $699,606 (Co-PI on KU portion of project, PI: B. O'neill, NCAR).
Reducing uncertainty in carbon cycle science of North Amer- ica: a synthesis program across United States and Mexico.. USDA. $537741.00. (1/1/2014 - 12/31/2017). Federal. Status: Funded
Subcontract to Konza Prairie Long Term Ecological Station (Annually Renewed: $25,000/year). NSF. $125000.00. (1/1/2010 - 12/31/2015). Federal. Status: Funded
Assessing regional scale variability in extreme value statistics under altered climate scenarios. DOE. $510544.00. (1/1/2011 - 12/31/2013). Federal. Status: Funded
System for Integrated Modeling of Metropolitan Extreme Heat Risk (SIMMER). NASA. $367116.00. (1/1/2010 - 12/31/2013). Federal. Status: Funded. Role: Co-I. KU Funding: $367,116.
Scaling ecosystem function: Novel approaches from MaxEnt and Multiresolution. NSF. $135803.00. (1/1/2011 - 12/31/2012). Federal. Status: Funded