Non-Boussinesq Gravity Currents and Two-Layer Bores

University Of California-San Diego, La Jolla CA

Investigators

Abstract

CTS-0209194 Paul Linden University of California San Diego This is a collaborative research effort between UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara to carry out experimental and computational study of gravity currents and two-layer bores in fluids of large density difference so that the usual Boussinesq approximation cannot be applied. The non-Boussinesq cases are found in many industrial flows and some chloride solutions for the low-density contrast experiments and sodium chloride solutions for the high-density contrast cases. Gross features of the flow will be recorded by shadowgraphs, and detailed velocity measurements will be made by particle tracing technique. Direct numerical simulations (DNS) willb e made for these cases at UCSB. From the understanding gained by the experimental and computational studies, models of propagation and the mixing of the currents will be formulated.