Sam Pimentel, PhD

Professor of Mathematical Sciences; Coordinator, Mathematics; Glaciologist

Professor
Department of Mathematical Sciences
Trinity Western University
August 2012 - ongoing 

Adjunct Professor
Simon Fraser University
November 2012 - ongoing

He has held post-doctoral research positions at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Simon Fraser University (SFU) and Aberystwyth University and has been a sessional lecturer at Simon Fraser University (SFU) and University of the Fraser Valley (UFV).

PhD, 2007, University of Reading, UK

M Math, 2003, University of Bath, UK

Expertise

Applied and Computational Mathematics, Ice Sheet Modelling, Ocean Modelling, and Data Assimilation

Dr. Sam Pimentel’s research program has made important contributions in glaciology, oceanography, and data assimilation. He uses and develops mathematical and computational methods for simulating ice sheets, glaciers, and ocean temperatures.

Recent Publications

  • M. A. Hossain*, S. Pimentel, and J. M. Stockie. Simulating surface height and terminus position for marine outlet glaciers using a level set method with data assimilation. Journal of Computational Physics, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcp.2022.111766, 2023.
  • S. Pimentel and Y. Qranfal. A data assimilation framework that uses the Kullback-Leibler divergence. PLoS ONE, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256584, 2021.
  • A. Hossain*, S. Pimentel, and J. Stockie. Modelling dynamic ice sheet boundaries and grounding line migration using the level set method. Journal of Glaciology, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2020.45, 2020.
  • E. Jansen, S. Pimentel, W.-H. Tse*, D. Denaxa, G. Korres, I. Mirouze, and A. Storto. Using Canonical Correlation Analysis to produce dynamically-based highly-efficient statistical observation operators. Ocean Science, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-2018-166, 2019.
  • S. Pimentel, W.-H. Tse*, H. Xu*, D. Denaxa, E. Jansen, G. Korres, I. Mirouze, and A. Storto. Modeling the near-surface diurnal cycle of sea surface temperature in the Mediterranean Sea. Journal of Geophysical Research – Oceans, 124, 171-183, http://doi.org/10.1029/2018JC014289, 2019. 
  • S. Pimentel, G. E. Flowers, M. J. Sharp, B. Danielson, L. Copland, W. Van Wychen, A. Duncan, and J. L. Kavanaugh. Modelling intra-annual dynamics of a major marine-terminating Arctic glacier. Annals of Glaciology, 58, 118-130, http://doi.org/10.1017/aog.2017.23, 2017.
  • C. F. Dow, B. Kulessa, I. C. Rutt, V. C. Tsai, S. Pimentel, S. H. Doyle, D. van As, K. Lindback, R. Pettersson, G. A. Jones, and A. Hubbard.  Modeling of subglacial hydrological development following rapid supraglacial lake drainage.  Journal of Geophysical Research - Earth Surface, 120,doi:10.1002/2014JF003333, 2015.
  • F. Beaud, G. E. Flowers, and S. Pimentel.  Seasonal-scale abrasion and quarrying patterns from a two-dimensional ice-flow model coupled to distributed and channelized subglacial drainage.  Geomorphology, 219, 176-191, doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2014.04.036, 2014.
  • G. E. Flowers, N. Roux, S. Pimentel, and C. G. Schoof.  Present dynamics and future prognosis of a slowly surging glacier. The Cryosphere, 5, 299-313, doi:10.5194/tc-5-299-2011, 2011.
  • S. Pimentel and G. E. Flowers.  A numerical study of hydrologically driven glacier dynamics and subglacial flooding. Proceedings of the Royal Society A, 467:537-558, doi:10.1098/rspa.2010.0211, 2011.
  • S. Pimentel, G. E. Flowers, and C. G. Schoof. A hydrologically coupled higher-order flow-band model of ice dynamics with a Coulomb friction sliding law. Journal of Geophysical Research - Earth Surface, 115, F04023, doi:10.1029/2009JF001621, 2010.
  • S. Pimentel, K. Haines, and N. K. Nichols. The assimilation of satellite derived sea surface temperatures into a diurnal cycle model. Journal of Geophysical Research - Oceans, 113, C11004, doi:10.1029/2007JC004608, 2008.
  • S. Pimentel, K. Haines, and N. K. Nichols. Modeling the diurnal variability of sea surface temperatures. Journal of Geophysical Research - Oceans, 113, C11004, doi:10.1029/2007JC004607, 2008.