Dr. Payandeh is a physical oceanographer with an interest in ocean remote sensing, numerical modeling, and observational oceanography. He completed his postdoctoral work at the Marine Science Institute at the University of California, Santa Barbara, focusing on submesoscale eddies in the Southern California Bight using High-Frequency Radars. He earned his PhD in Oceanography and Coastal Sciences from Louisiana State University, where he studied relative sea level rise in shallow Mississippi River estuaries using numerical models, observations, and remote sensing data. In his free time, Dr. Payandeh enjoys surfing, diving, and playing Setar. Additionally, he shares his passion for science and the environment through his podcast, "Zharfa" (meaning depth in Persian), where he makes episodes on topics ranging from the environment and the ocean to broader issues concerning our planet and even the mysteries of space.

• Ph.D. | Louisiana State University · Major: Physical Oceanography
• M. S. | University of Tehran · Major: Coastal and Environmental Sciences

Physical Oceanography, Coastal and Estuarine Oceanography, Ocean Remote sensing, Observational Oceanography, Numerical Modeling, Sea Level Rise, Submesoscale Eddies and Currents

• NASA Postdoctoral Fellow, 2023 - present
• University of California Santa Barbara Postdoctoral Fellow, 2021 - 2023

1. Payandeh, A. R., Washburn, L., Emery, B., & Ohlmann, J. C. (2023). The Occurrence, Variability, and Potential Drivers of Submesoscale Eddies in the Southern California Bight Based on a Decade of High‐Frequency Radar Observations. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 128(10), https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JC019914
2. Payandeh, A. R., Justic, D., Huang, H., Mariotti, G., & Hagen, S. C. (2022). Tidal change in response to the relative sea level rise and marsh accretion in a tidally choked estuary. Continental Shelf Research, 234, 104642. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2021.104642
3. Payandeh, A. R., Justic, D., Mariotti, G., Huang, H., & Sorourian, S. (2019). Subtidal water level and current variability in a bar‐built estuary during cold front season: Barataria Bay, Gulf of Mexico. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 124(10), 7226-7246. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JC015081
4. Payandeh, A. R., Justic, D., Mariotti, G., Huang, H., Valentine, K., & Walker, N. D. (2021). Suspended sediment dynamics in a deltaic estuary controlled by subtidal motion and offshore river plumes. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 250, 107137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2020.107137

Selected Talks

1. Payandeh, A. R., Washburn, L., Emery, B., Ohlmann, C (2023). Submesoscale Eddies in the Southern California Bight Derived from a Decade of High Frequency Radar Observations. European Geophysical Union General Assembly, Vienna, Austria. Talk.
2. Payandeh, A. R., D. Justic, and G. Mariotti. (2020). Seasonal Variability in Hydrodynamics and Suspended‐Sediment Transport in a Bar‐Built Mississippi River Estuary, Ocean Sciences Meeting, San Diego, USA. Poster.
3. Payandeh, A. R., D. Justic, and G. Mariotti. (2018). Low Frequency Sea Level Variability in a Deltaic Mississippi River Estuary during Cold Front Season. American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting 2018, Washington, D. C., USA. Talk.