Research showcase

from the
ocean to
the atmosphere
to the lab

Air pollution in China.

Urban meteorology - Air pollution.

Dust storm in Phoenix.

Dust storm in Phoenix.

Turbulent transport across the atmosphere-ocean interface.

Turbulent transport across the atmosphere-ocean interface.

Oceanic fluid dynamics.

Oceanic fluid dynamics.

Hurricane Irma.

Atmospheric dynamics - Hurricane Irma.

Turbulent eddies in the atmosphere - Jupiter's too!

Turbulent eddies in the atmosphere - Jupiter's too!

Sand storms (and also sea breezes) are examples of buoyancy driven gravity currents in the atmosphere. Of particular interest is how ground friction affects speed of propagation and mixing in gravity currents.

Plumes in density stratified flow above a city can impact air quality. Such plumes can be studied in the lab.

Atmospheric pollution in cities is a worldwide issue; problems in Beijing are shown in the left panel. The video on the right panel shows particulate dispersion in laboratory models of cities.

Buoyant river outflows influence the health of the coastal ecosystem.

Schematic of the turntable experiments shown above is helping to unentangle the dynamics of river outflows.

River outflows transport nitrates to Lake Erie. This can result in algal blooms.

Environmental pollution is mitigated by mixing. Details of the physics of mixing between fluids of different densities are being studied via lab experiments.