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Peter Sutherland
Laboratoire de Physique des Oceans
Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer
Web: psutherland.ca
Research Interests
 Surface wave and upper ocean - lower atmosphere dynamics, especially related to wave breaking and
turbulence.
 Sub-mesoscale processes. Connecting small-scale physics like wave breaking and Langmuir circulations
to larger scale flows.
 Ice-ocean-atmosphere interactions; air-sea-ice fluxes, surface wave propagation through sea ice, ice pack
evolution and break-up.
 Sensor development; creating instruments using emerging technologies to gain new insights about the
ocean and atmosphere.
 Scientific imaging and computer vision; automated scene reconstruction, stereo imagery, PIV, optical
flow, feature identification and tracking.
 Deep ocean exploration; using new tools and techniques, like autonomous craft and computer vision, to
study the deep ocean.
Education
2013
Ph.D. Oceanography, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD
Title: On breaking waves and turbulence at the air-sea interface
Advisor: W. Kendall Melville
Committee: W. Munk, D. L. Rudnick, S. Sarkar, J. A. Smith
2007
M.S. Oceanography, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD
2004
B.Sc. Physics, Minor Mathematics, University of Victoria
Research Experience
2015 – present: Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer, Research Scientist
2014 – 2015:
Université Pierre et Marie CURIE, Postdoctoral Scholar
Using satellite and airborne remote sensing, and in situ measurements, to investigate marginal ice
zone physical processes. Studying changes in Arctic sea ice coverage and morphology in response
to wind and wave forcing. Applying advanced image processing techniques to visible and
microwave radiometer, and synthetic aperture radar, satellite remote sensing products.
2013 – 2014:
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Postdoctoral Scholar
Investigated near-surface turbulent kinetic energy dissipation by wave breaking, using the video
and acoustic techniques that I developed as part of my Ph.D. research.
2006 – 2013:
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Graduate student researcher
Ph.D. research; studied surface wave processes and turbulence in the upper ocean using a variety
of video-based and acoustic techniques. This included:
 Developing and deploying infrared and visible stereo video systems to reconstruct the 3D
structure and velocity of the ocean surface.

Devising a technique to use the vorticity of the measured sea surface velocity field to
extract turbulent kinetic energy dissipation.

Creating a texture-based algorithm to detect and track whitecaps on the sea surface in
infrared imagery in order to measure wave breaking statistics.
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Peter Sutherland
Curriculum Vitae

Designing, building and deploying an array of pulse coherent acoustic Doppler
instruments for measuring sub-surface turbulence.

Conducting supporting experiments in the Scripps Hydraulics Laboratory.
2005
RSMAS - University of Miami, Research intern
Data analysis for an experiment in the Baltic Sea to study atmospheric flux profile relations under
different sea conditions.
2003 – 2004
University of Victoria - Condensed Matter Physics Group, Undergraduate
Helped set up, test, and do research in, a new spintronics and nanoscale systems lab.
2003
Institute of Ocean Sciences, Sidney, British Columbia, Undergraduate researcher
Used ARGO profilers to study an anomalous cold water intrusion in the Gulf of Alaska.
2001
Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis, Undergraduate researcher
Developed a model of ocean water column mixing as affected by seasonal variation of the surface
mixed layer designed to interface with a full global ocean model.
Teaching Experience
2008 – 2014
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
SIO202A Wave Physics (graduate level). Prepared and led laboratory experiments.
Oceanographic Field Experience
Nov. 2013
R/P FLIP, Southern California Bight.
Multi-platform air-sea interaction experiment that included R/P FLIP, two research vessels, an
aircraft, two wave gliders, and numerous wave buoys. Co-chief scientist aboard R/P FLIP.
Dec. 2010
R/P FLIP, Southern California Bight.
High-resolution air sea interaction experiment (HIRES), low-wind component. Deployed
instrumentation in support of thesis work (Stereo visible and IR systems, scanning lidar,
meteorological system, laser wave gauges, underwater turbulence array, acoustic Doppler current
profilers, thermistor chain, inertial motion units, and conductivity temperature depth sensors).
June 2010
R/P FLIP, off Northern California.
High-resolution air sea interaction experiment (HIRES), main experiment.
instrumentation in support of thesis work.
Deployed
Sept. 2009
R/P FLIP, south of Hawai'i.
Radiance in a Dynamic Ocean (RaDyO) experiment, offshore component. Investigated effects of
breaking and turbulence on light transmission in the upper ocean. Deployed instrumentation in
support of thesis work.
July 2009
R/P FLIP, Southern California Bight.
High-resolution air sea interaction experiment (HIRES), pilot experiment.
instrumentation in support of thesis work.
Test cruise for
Winter 2008 – 2009, Kvitebjørn Gas Platform, North Sea off Bergen.
Investigation of wind-wave interactions in extreme conditions. Set up remotely (network)
accessible laser wave gauge, scanning lidar, IR camera, visible video camera, and wind lidar.
Sept. 2008
R/P FLIP, Santa Barbara Channel.
Radiance in a Dynamic Ocean (RaDyO) experiment, near-shore component. Investigated effects
of breaking and turbulence on light transmission in the upper ocean.
May 2002
C.C.G.S. John P. Tully, waters surrounding Vancouver Island.
Coastal ecology cruise.
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Peter Sutherland
May 2000
Curriculum Vitae
C.C.G.S. John P. Tully, offshore of Vancouver Island.
Coastal ecology cruise.
Honours and Awards
2009
Nortek Student Equipment Grant
2003
NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award
Publications
Sutherland, P., and W. K. Melville, 2015. Measuring turbulent kinetic energy dissipation at a wavy sea surface.
Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 32, 1498-1514
Sutherland, P., and W. K. Melville, 2015. Field measurements of surface and near-surface turbulence in the
presence of breaking waves. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 45, 943-965.
Sutherland, P., and W. K. Melville, 2013. Field measurements and scaling of ocean surface wave-breaking
statistics. Geophysical Research Letters, 40, 50584.
Dickey, T., et al., 2012. Introduction to special section on Recent Advances in the Study of Optical Variability in
the Near-Surface and Upper Ocean. Journal of Geophysical Research, 117, C00H20.
Crawford, W., P. Sutherland, and P. van Hardenberg, 2005. Cold Water Intrusion in the Eastern Gulf of Alaska
in 2002. ATMOSPHERE-OCEAN, 43, 119-128.
Selected Presentations
Sutherland, P., 2014, On breaking waves and turbulence at the air-sea interface. Physical Oceanography
Dissertation Symposium VIII, Lihue, USA
Sutherland, P., W. K. Melville, 2014, Simultaneous measurements of breaking waves and turbulence at the air-sea
interface. AGU Ocean Sciences, Honolulu, USA
Sutherland, P., W. K. Melville, 2013, Field measurements and scaling of wave breaking statistics. Waves in
Shallow Environments (WISE), College Park, USA
Sutherland, P., W. K. Melville, L. Lenain, N. Statom, 2012, In-situ measurements of the effects of wave breaking
on near-surface turbulence. AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, USA
Sutherland, P., W. K. Melville, L. Lenain, N. Statom, 2012, Measurements of near-surface wave coherent
turbulence in the presence of breaking waves. AGU Ocean Sciences, Salt Lake City, USA
Sutherland, P., L. Lenain, W. K. Melville, 2010, Surface wave processes affecting light transmission and imaging
through the ocean surface. AGU Ocean Sciences, Portland, USA
Certifications and Activities
Offshore worker safety training (including basic first aid and fire-fighting, survival at sea, and helicopter
underwater escape)
FAA Private Pilot Certificate, Glider
Sailing – Advanced race coach (not current). 20,000 offshore miles.
PADI Open Water Diver SCUBA
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