Vorticity-based Analytical Models for Internal Bores and Gravity Currents

Time: Wednesday, February 5, 2014 - 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Type: Seminar Series
Room/Office:
Location:
Mason Lab - M107
9 Hillhouse Avenue
New Haven , CT 06510
United States

Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Seminar

Vorticity-based Analytical Models for Internal Bores and Gravity Currents
Professor Eckart Meiburg
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of California at Santa Barbara


Abstract:

In addition to the conservation of mass and horizontal momentum, existing analytical models for gravity currents and internal bores traditionally require an empirical closure assumption about the conservation or loss of energy along specific streamlines. We demonstrate that the front velocity of gravity currents and internal bores can be predicted as a function of their height from mass and momentum balances alone by also considering the evolution of interfacial vorticity. In this way, the need for an energy conservation argument invoked by earlier models is avoided.

Furthermore, the equation governing the pressure can be decoupled, so that information on the pressure is not required in order to determine the front velocity. Predictions by the new theory are shown to be in very good agreement with results from direct numerical simulations. We also discuss the influence of downstream mixing on the front velocity predicted by this theory. 

Wednesday, February 5, 2014
2:30 – 3:30 pm
Mason Laboratory – Room 107

Host:   Professor Nicholas Ouellette
Refreshments served at 2:15 pm