Yoshimitsu Chikamoto
Plants, Soils, & Climate (PSC)
Assistant Professor, Earth System Modeling

Educational Background
PhD, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, Hokkaido University, 2005 Dissertation
Role of moisture eld in the large-scale surface heat exchanges
MS, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, Hokkaido University, 2002 Thesis
Atlantic atmosphere-ocean response to the tropical Pacic sea surface temperature variations
Biography
Dr. Chikamoto's research focuses on understanding of physical climate processes and climate predictability.
Teaching Interests
Earth system science; Climate modeling and simulation
Research Interests
Climate variability, predictability and change.
Awards
The Syono Award, 2018
Meteorological Society of Japan
Publications | Journal Articles
Academic Journal
- Wilkins, E.J, Chikamoto, Y., Miller, A.B, Smith, J., (2021). Climate change and the demand for recreational ecosystem services on public lands in the continental United States. Global Environmental Change, 70, 102365.
- Stuivenvolt-Allen, J., Wang, S.S, Johnson, Z.F, Chikamoto, Y., (2021). Atmospheric rivers impacting Northern California exhibit a quasi-decadal frequency. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 126, e2020JD034196.
- Long, X., Widlansky, M.J, Spillman, C.M, Kumar, A., Balmaseda, M., Thompson, P.R, Chikamoto, Y., Smith, G.A, Huang, B., Shin, C., Merrifield, M.A, Sweet, W.V, Leuliette, E., Annamalai, H.S, Marra, J.J, Mitchum, G., (2021). Seasonal Forecasting Skill of Sea Level Anomalies in a Multi-model Prediction Framework. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 126, e2020JC017060.
- Chikamoto, Y., Wang, S., Yost, M., Yocom, L., Gillies, R.R, (2020). Colorado River water supply is predictable on multi-year timescales owing to long-term ocean memory. Communications Earth and Environment, doi: 10.1038/s43247-020-00027-0
- Akbar, H., Allen, N., Rosenberg, D.E, Chikamoto, Y., (2020). Ranchers Adapting to Climate Variability in the Upper Colorado River Basin, Utah. Climate, doi: 10.3390/cli8090096
- Chikamoto, Y., Johnson, Z., Wang, S., McPhaden, M., Mochizuki, T., (2020). El Nino Southern Oscillation evolution modulated by Atlantic forcing. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, doi: 10.1029/2020JC016318
- Johnson, Z., Chikamoto, Y., Wang, S., McPhaden, M., Mochizuki, T., (2020). Pacific Decadal Oscillation remotely forced by the equatorial Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans. Climate Dynamics, doi: 10.1007/s00382-020-05295-2
- Chien, Y., Wang, S., Chikamoto, Y., Voelker, S., Meyer, J., Yoon, J., (2019). North American Winter Dipole: Observed and Simulated Changes in Circulations. Atmosphere, doi: 10.3390/atmos10120793
- Pokharel, B., Wang, S., Meyer, J., Chikamoto, Y., Gillies, R.R, The east-west division of changing precipitation in Nepal. International Journal of Climatology
- Johnson, Z.F, Chikamoto, Y., Luo, J.J, Mochizuki, T., (2018). Ocean impacts on Australian interannual to decadal precipitation variability. Climate, 6:3
- Timmermann, A., An, S.I, Kug, J.S, Jin, F.F, Cai, W., Capotondi, A., Cobb, K., Lengaigne, M., McPhaden, M.J, Stuecker, M.F, Stein, K., Wittenberg, A.T, Yun, K.S, Bayr, T., Chen, H.C, Chikamoto, Y., Dewitte, B., Dommenget, D., Grothe, P., Guilyardi, E., Ham, Y.G, Hayashi, M., Ineson, S., Kang, D., Kim, S., Kim, W.M, Lee, J.Y, Li, T., Luo, J.J, McGregor, S., Planton, Y., Power, S., Rashid, H., Ren, H.L, Santoso, A., Takahashi, K., Todd, A., Wang, G., Wang, G., Xie, R., Yang, W.H, Yeh, S.W, Yoon, J., Zeller, E., Zhang, X., (2018). El Nino–Southern Oscillation complexity. Nature, 559:7715, 535-545.
- Ham, Y., Chikamoto, Y., Kug, J., Kimoto, M., Mochizuki, T., (2017). Tropical Atlantic-Korea teleconnection pattern during boreal summer season. Climate Dynamics, 49:7-8, 2649–2664.
- Chikamoto, Y., Timmermann, A., Widlansky, M.J, Balmaseda, M.A, Stott, L., (2017). Multi-year predictability of climate, drought, and wildfire in southwestern North America. Scientific Reports, 7, 6568.
- Stuecker, M.F, Timmermann, A., Jin, F., Chikamoto, Y., Zhang, W., Wittenberg, A.T, Widiasih, E., Zhao, S., (2017). Revisiting ENSO/Indian Ocean Dipole phase relationships. Geophysical Research Letters
- Purich, A., England, M.H, Cai, W., Chikamoto, Y., Timmermann, A., Fyfe, J.C, Frankcombe, L., Meehl, G.A, Arblaster, J.M, (2016). Tropical Pacific SST Drivers of Recent Antarctic Sea Ice Trends. Journal of Climate, 29:24, 8931-8948.
- Mochizuki, T., Kimoto, M., Watanabe, M., Chikamoto, Y., Ishii, M., (2016). Interbasin effects of the Indian Ocean on Pacific decadal climate change. Geophysical Research Letters, 43:13, 7168-7175.
- Chikamoto, Y., Mochizuki, T., Timmermann, A., Kimoto, M., Watanabe, M., (2016). Potential tropical Atlantic impacts on Pacific decadal climate trends. Geophysical Research Letters, 43:13, 7143-7151.
- Chikamoto, M.O, Timmermann, A., Chikamoto, Y., Tokinaga, H., Harada, N., (2015). Mechanisms and predictability of multiyear ecosystem variability in the North Pacific. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 29:11, 2001-2019.
- Imada, Y., Tatebe, H., Ishii, M., Chikamoto, Y., Mori, M., Arai, M., Watanabe, M., Kimoto, M., (2015). Predictability of Two Types of El Nino Assessed Using an Extended Seasonal Prediction System by MIROC. Monthly Weather Review, 143:11, 4597-4617.
- Chikamoto, Y., Timmermann, A., Stevenson, S., DiNezio, P., Langford, S., (2015). Decadal predictability of soil water, vegetation, and wildfire frequency over North America. Climate Dynamics, 45:7-8, 2213-2235.
- Chikamoto, Y., Timmermann, A., Luo, J.J, Mochizuki, T., Kimoto, M., Watanabe, M., Ishii, M., Xie, S.P, Jin, F.F, (2015). Skilful multi-year predictions of tropical trans-basin climate variability.. Nature communications, 6, 6869.
- Stevenson, S., Timmermann, A., Chikamoto, Y., Langford, S., DiNezio, P., (2015). Stochastically Generated North American Megadroughts. Journal of Climate, 28:5, 1865-1880.
- McGregor, S., Timmermann, A., Stuecker, M.F, England, M.H, Merrifield, M., Jin, F., Chikamoto, Y., (2014). Recent Walker circulation strengthening and Pacific cooling amplified by Atlantic warming. Nature Climate Change, 4:10, 888-892.
- Mochizuki, T., Kimoto, M., Chikamoto, Y., Mori, M., Watanabe, M., Ishii, M., (2014). Error Sensitivity to Initial Climate States in Pacific Decadal Hindcasts. SOLA, 10:0, 39-44.
- MORI, M., KIMOTO, M., ISHII, M., YOKOI, S., MOCHIZUKI, T., Chikamoto, Y., WATANABE, M., NOZAWA, T., TATEBE, H., T. SAKAMOTO, T., KOMURO, Y., IMADA, Y., KOYAMA, H., (2013). Hindcast Prediction and Near-Future Projection of Tropical Cyclone Activity over the Western North Pacific Using CMIP5 Near-Term Experiments with MIROC. Journal of the Meteorological Society of Japan. Ser. II, 91:4, 431-452.
- Doblas-Reyes, F.J, Andreu-Burillo, I., Chikamoto, Y., Garcia-Serrano, J., Guemas, V., Kimoto, M., Mochizuki, T., Rodrigues, L.R, van Oldenborgh, G.J, (2013). Initialized near-term regional climate change prediction.. Nature communications, 4, 1715.
- Chikamoto, Y., Kimoto, M., Ishii, M., Mochizuki, T., Sakamoto, T.T, Tatebe, H., Komuro, Y., Watanabe, M., Nozawa, T., Shiogama, H., Mori, M., Yasunaka, S., Imada, Y., (2013). An overview of decadal climate predictability in a multi-model ensemble by climate model MIROC. Climate Dynamics, 40:5-6, 1201-1222.
- Chikamoto, Y., KIMOTO, M., ISHII, M., WATANABE, M., NOZAWA, T., MOCHIZUKI, T., TATEBE, H., SAKAMOTO, T.T, KOMURO, Y., SHIOGAMA, H., MORI, M., YASUNAKA, S., IMADA, Y., KOYAMA, H., NOZU, M., JIN, F., (2012). Predictability of a Stepwise Shift in Pacific Climate during the Late 1990s in Hindcast Experiments Using MIROC. Journal of the Meteorological Society of Japan, 90A:0, 1-21.
- TATEBE, H., ISHII, M., MOCHIZUKI, T., Chikamoto, Y., SAKAMOTO, T.T, KOMURO, Y., MORI, M., YASUNAKA, S., WATANABE, M., OGOCHI, K., SUZUKI, T., NISHIMURA, T., KIMOTO, M., (2012). The Initialization of the MIROC Climate Models with Hydrographic Data Assimilation for Decadal Prediction. Journal of the Meteorological Society of Japan, 90A:0, 275-294.
- Chikamoto, Y., Kimoto, M., Watanabe, M., Ishii, M., Mochizuki, T., (2012). Relationship between the Pacific and Atlantic stepwise climate change during the 1990s. Geophysical Research Letters, 39:21, L21710.
- MOCHIZUKI, T., Chikamoto, Y., KIMOTO, M., ISHII, M., TATEBE, H., KOMURO, Y., SAKAMOTO, T.T, WATANABE, M., MORI, M., (2012). Decadal Prediction Using a Recent Series of MIROC Global Climate Models. Journal of the Meteorological Society of Japan, 90A:0, 373-383.
- Toyoda, T., Awaji, T., Sugiura, N., Masuda, S., Igarashi, H., Sasaki, Y., Hiyoshi, Y., Ishikawa, Y., Mochizuki, T., Sakamoto, T.T, Tatebe, H., Komuro, Y., Suzuki, T., Nishimura, T., Mori, M., Chikamoto, Y., Yasunaka, S., Imada, Y., Arai, M., Watanabe, M., Shiogama, H., Nozawa, T., Hasegawa, A., Ishii, M., Kimoto, M., (2011). Impact of the Assimilation of Sea Ice Concentration Data on an Atmosphere-Ocean-Sea Ice Coupled Simulation of the Arctic Ocean Climate. SOLA, 7, 37-40.
- Chikamoto, Y., TANIMOTO, Y., MUKOUGAWA, H., KIMOTO, M., (2010). Subtropical Pacific SST Variability Related to the Local Hadley Circulation during the Premature Stage of ENSO. Journal of the Meteorological Society of Japan. Ser. II, 88:2, 183-202.
- Mochizuki, T., Ishii, M., Kimoto, M., Chikamoto, Y., Watanabe, M., Nozawa, T., Sakamoto, T.T, Shiogama, H., Awaji, T., Sugiura, N., Toyoda, T., Yasunaka, S., Tatebe, H., Mori, M., (2010). Pacific decadal oscillation hindcasts relevant to near-term climate prediction.. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 107:5, 1833-7.
- Chikamoto, Y., Mukougawa, H., Kubota, T., Sato, H., Ito, A., Maeda, S., (2007). Evidence of growing bred vector associated with the tropical intraseasonal oscillation. Geophysical Research Letters, 34:4, L04806.
- Chikamoto, Y., Tanimoto, Y., (2006). Air-sea humidity effects on the generation of tropical Atlantic SST anomalies during the ENSO events. Geophysical Research Letters, 33:19, L19702.
- Chikamoto, Y., TANIMOTO, Y., (2005). Role of Specific Humidity Anomalies in Caribbean SST Response to ENSO. Journal of the Meteorological Society of Japan, 83:6, 959-975.
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Other
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Teaching
PSC 7900 - Special Problems in Plants, Soils, and/or Climate, Spring 2022
, Fall 2021
PSC 4860 - Atmospheric Thermodynamics, Fall 2021
PSC 4810 - Climate and Climate Change, Fall 2021
PSC 6810, 4810 - Climate and Climate Change, Fall 2021
PSC 6125 - Climate Modeling and Simulation, Fall 2021
PSC 6125 - Climate Modeling and Simulation, Fall 2021
PSC 4900 - Climate Science Practicum, Fall 2021
PSC 4880, 6880 - Earth System Science, Spring 2021
PSC 4810 - Climate and Climate Change, Fall 2020
PSC 6125 - Climate Modeling and Simulation, Fall 2020
PSC 4900 - Special Problems, Fall 2020
PSC 4810 - Climate and Climate Change, Fall 2019
PSC 7900 - Special Problems in Plants, Soils, and/or Climate, Fall 2019
PSC 6900 - Special Problems in Plants, Soils, and/or Climate, Spring 2019
, Fall 2018
PSC 6900 - Special Problems in Plants, Soils, and/or Climate, Fall 2018
PSC 6890, 7890 - Plants, Soils, and Climate Graduate Seminar, Spring 2018
PSC 6900 - Special Problems in Plants, Soils, and/or Climate, Spring 2018
PSC 7900 - Special Problems in Plants, Soils, and/or Climate, Spring 2018
PSC 6890 - Plants, Soils, and Climate Graduate Seminar, Fall 2017
PSC 7890 - Plants, Soils, and Climate Graduate Seminar, Fall 2017
PSC 6900 - Special Problems in Plants, Soils, and/or Climate, Fall 2017
Graduate Students Mentored
David Evans, Plants, Soils, and Climate, August 2021
Timothy Wright, Plants, Soils, and Climate, August 2021
Nahid Hasan, Plants, Soils, and Climate, January 2021
Sakshi Solanki, Plants, Soils, and Climate, May 2021 - December 2021
Zachary Johnson, Plants, Soils, and Climate, August 2017 - April 2021
Henrik Panosyan, Plants, Soils, and Climate, August 2018 - June 2020