“Investigating the Mysteries of Turbulent Flow”
In fluid flows, not unlike in human experience, turbulence is a somewhat mysterious phenomenon that often cannot be avoided, but is sometimes necessary and even beneficial. If a gas or liquid travels far enough along a surface, its behavior will suddenly transform from smooth and regular to a complex and apparently unpredictable tumult. Despite the longstanding belief that turbulent flow was entirely chaotic, researchers in the 1950’s used theory and experiment to prove the existence of “coherent structures” in the flow. Like a tornado that is unmarked by clouds or debris, these flow structures live an unseen purposeful life within fluid flow. This talk will introduce the mesmerizing world of fluid mechanics through the use of flow visualization techniques. Via these visualizations we’ll share in the discovery of the phenomena associated with turbulence and explore their behavior. These studies are performed in a water channel facility at Lafayette and a description of its development, as well as the indispensable student involvement, will be included in the discussion. Quantified measurements of the flow will be presented that allow the size, shape and strength of these structures to be established in three-dimensions over time. The results will be discussed along with a few of the mysteries they answer regarding the origins of turbulence.
The talk is sponsored by the Thomas Roy and Lura Forest Jones Faculty Lecture and Awards Fund, established in 1966 to recognize superior teaching and scholarship at Lafayette College.