Work experience:
2021 - present: Associate Project Scientist / Lecturer, MAE, UC San Diego
2015 - 2021: Assistant Project Scientist / Lecturer, MAE, UC San Diego
2010 - 2015: Postdoctoral Scholar, MAE and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego
Education:
Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering Science, September 2010, UC San Diego
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, June 2007, UC San Diego
Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering: Pre-medical, June 2003, UC San Diego
Quick links: Google Scholar Thesis
Grants:
2. “The role of diurnal air-sea interaction in Arabian Sea Mini Warm Pool dynamics: an LES study,” 05/01/2023 to 04/30/2028, PIs: Sarkar, S. and H. T. Pham, funded by the Office of Naval Research.
1. "Collaborative Research: Marginal instability and deep-cycle turbulence during an extreme El Nino event," 4/1/2019 - 3/31/2025, PIs: Sarkar, S. and H. T. Pham, funded by the National Science Foundation.
Reviewer: Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Nature Communications, Geophysical Review Letter, Journal of Physical Oceanography, Journal of Geophysical Research, Environmental Fluid Mechanics, Continental Shelf Research, Applied Ocean Research, and Fluids.
Refereed Publications:
30. Pham, H. T., V. Verma, S. Sarkar, A. Shcherbina, and E. A. D’Asaro, “Rapid downwelling of tracerparticles across the boundary layer and into the pycnocline at submesoscale ocean fronts,” Geophysical Research Letters, 51, e2024GL109674n (2024).
29. Schmitt, M., H. T. Pham, K. Klingbeil, S. Sarkar, and L. Umlauf, “Diurnal Warm Layers in the ocean: Energetics, non-dimensional scaling and parameterization,” J. Phys. Oceanogr., 54, 1037-1055 (2024).
28. Pham, H. T., S. Sarkar, W. D. Smyth, J. N. Moum, and S. J. Warner, “Deep-cycle turbulence in the upper Pacific Equatorial Ocean: Characterization by LES and heat flux parameterization,” J. Phys. Oceanogr., , 54, 577-599 (2024).
27. Wilde, D., S. Nidhan, H. T. Pham, H. Foysi, D. Reith and S. Sarkar, “Stratified Taylor-Green vortex by lattice Boltzmann methods: Influence of stencils, forcing schemes and collision models,” Computers and Fluids, 256, 105838 (2023).
26. Johnson, L., B. Fox-Kemper, Q. Li, H. T. Pham, and S. Sarkar, “A finite-time ensemble method for mixed layer model comparison,” J. Phys. Oceanogr., 53, 2211-2230 (2023).
25. Gola D. , S. Nidhan, J. L. Ortiz-Tarin, H. T. Pham and S. Sarkar, “Disk wakes in nonlinear stratification,” J. Fluid Mech., 956, A5 (2023).
24. Pham, H. T., S. Sarkar, L. Johnson, B. Fox-Kemper, P. P. Sullivan, and L. Qing, "Multi-scale variability of turbulent mixing during a Monsoon Intraseasonal Oscillation in the Bay of Bengal: an LES study," J. Geophys. Res. Oceans,128, e2022JCO18959 (2023).
23. Pham, H. T., and S. Sarkar, "A comparative study of turbulent stratified shear layers: "Effect of density gradient distribution," Environmental Fluid Mechanics (2022).
22. Jain, N., H. T. Pham, X. Huang, S. Sarkar, X. Yang, and K. Robert, "Second moment closure modeling and DNS of stratified shear layers," J. Fluids. Eng., 144(4): 041102 (2022).
21. Verma, V., H. T. Pham, and S. Sarkar, "Interaction between upper-ocean submesoscale currents and convective turbulence," J. Phys. Oceanogr., 51, 2291-2302 (2021).
20. W. D. Smyth, S. J. Warner, J. N. Moum, Pham, H. T., and S. Sarkar, "What controls the Deep Cycle? Proxies for equatorial turbulence," J. Phys. Oceanogr., 51, 2291-2302 (2021).
19. VanDine, A., H. T. Pham, and S. Sarkar, "Turbulent shear layers in a uniformly stratified background: DNS at high Reynolds number," J. Fluid Mech., 916, A42 (2021).
18. VanDine, A., H .T. Pham, and S. Sarkar, "Investigation of LES models for a stratied shear layer, "Computers and Fluids, 198, 104405 (2020).
17. Sarkar, S., and H. T. Pham, "Turbulence and thermal structure in the upper ocean: Turbulence-resolving simulations," Flow, Turbulence and Combustion, 103, 4, 985-1001 (2019).
16. Pham, H. T., and S. Sarkar, "The role of turbulence in strong submesoscale fronts of the Bay of Bengal," Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 104644 (2019) .
15. Verma, V., H. T. Pham, and S. Sarkar. "The submesoscale, the fine scale and their interaction at a mixed layer front," Ocean Modelling, 140, 101400 (2019).
14. Pham, H. T., and S. Sarkar. "Ageostrophic Secondary Circulation at a submesoscale front and the formation of gravity currents," J. Phys. Oceanogr., 48, 2507-2529 (2018).
13. Pham, H. T., W. D. Smyth, S. Sarkar, and J. N. Moum, "Seasonality of deep cycle turbulence in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific," J. Phys. Oceanogr., 47, 2189-2209 (2017).
12. Smyth, W. D., H. T. Pham, J. N. Moum, and S. Sarkar, "Pulsating turbulence in a marginally unstable stratified shear flow," J. Fluid Mech., 822, 327-341 (2017).
11. Pham, H. T., and S. Sarkar, "Turbulent entrainment in a strongly stratified barrier layer," J. Geophys. Res. Oceans, 122, 1-13 (2017).
10. Sarkar, S., H. T. Pham, S. Ramachandran, J. D. Nash, A. Tandon, J. Buckley, A. A. Lotliker, and M. Omand, "The interplay between submesoscale instabilities and turbulence in the surface layer of the Bay of Bengal," Oceanography, 29(2), 146-157 (2016).
9. Pham, H. T., and S. Sarkar, "Evolution of an asymmetric turbulent shear layer in a thermocline," J. Turbulence, 15:7, 449-471 (2014).
8. Pham, H. T., and S. Sarkar, "Large-eddy simulations of a stratified shear layer," J. Fluids Eng., 136, 060913(1-11) (2014).
7. Pham, H. T., S. Sarkar, and K. B. Winters, "Large-eddy simulation of deep-cycle turbulence in an Equatorial Undercurrent model," J. Phys. Oceanogr., 43, 2490-2502 (2013).
6. Pham, H. T., S. Sarkar, and K. B. Winters, "Near-N oscillations and deep-cycle turbulence in an upper Equatorial Undercurrent model," J. Phys. Oceanogr., 42, 2169-2184 (2012).
5. Pham, H. T., S. Sarkar, and K. B. Winters, "Intermittent patches of turbulence in a stratified medium with stable shear," J. Turbulence, 13, No. 20, 1-17 (2012).
4. Pham, H. T., and S. Sarkar, "Mixing events in a stratied jet subject to surface wind and buoyancy forcing," J. Fluid Mech., 685, 54-82 (2011).
3. Pham, H. T., and S. Sarkar, "Transport and mixing of density in a continuously stratied shear layer," J. Turbulence, 11, No. 24, 1-23 (2010).
2. Pham, H. T., and S. Sarkar, "Internal waves and turbulence in a stable stratified jet," J. Fluid Mech., 648, 297-323 (2010).
1. Pham, H. T., S. Sarkar, and K. A. Brucker, "Dynamics of a stratified shear layer above a region of uniform stratification," J. Fluid Mech., 630, 191-223 (2009).
Refereed Conference Proceedings:
8. Jain, N., H. T. Pham, X. Huang, S. Sarkar, X. Yang, and R. Kunz, “Second moment closure modeling and DNS of stratified shear layers,” Proceedings of American Society of Mechanical Engineers, (2021).
7. Sarkar, S., H. T. Pham, “Turbulence and thermal structure in the upper ocean: LES studies,” Symposium on Turbulence, Heat and Mass Transfer - Ninth, (2018).
6. Pham, H. T., S. Sarkar, W. D. Smyth, and J. N. Moum, “Turbulent mixing in a marginally-unstable shear layer,” International Symposium on Stratified Flows - Eighth, (2016).
5. Smyth, W. D., H. T. Pham, J. N. Moum, and S. Sarkar, “Pulsating stratified turbulence in the upper equatorial oceans,” International Symposium on Stratified Flows - Eighth, (2016).
4. Pham, H. T., S. Sarkar, and K. B. Winters, “Role of shear instabilities in the upper Equatorial Undercurrent,” Turbulence and Shear Flow Phenomena - Eighth, (2013)
3. Pham, H. T., S. Sarkar, and K. B. Winters, “Mixing by Holmboe instability in an Equatorial Undercurrent model,” International Symposium on Stratified Flows - Seventh, (2011).
2. Pham, H. T., S. Sarkar, and K. B. Winters, “Turbulence patches and finite-amplitude internal waves in stratified fluid with stable shear,” Turbulence and Shear Flow Phenomena - Seventh, (2011).
1. Pham, H. T., S. Sarkar, and K. A. Brucker, “The evolution of a sheared region between two continuously stratified layers,” Turbulence and Shear Flow Phenomena - Sixth, (2009).