Acquisition of A Modular Wave Tank for Fundamental and Applied Research in the New UNC Multiscale Fluid Dynamics Lab

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The acquisition supported by this Major Research Instrumentation (MRI)grant consists of a modular wave tank and related wave making and data collectinginstrumentation to be housed in the new Fluids Lab at the University ofNorth Carolina. The proposed modular wave tank has been designed withmaximum flexibility in mind. Much of fluid mechanics takes place across multiple scales, and theirnonlinear coupling is arguably one of the most challenging features oftheoretical and experimental science. With this instrument the team of PIs andparticipants will be able to probe into phenomena, some of them newly discoveredin the existing Mathematics Fluid Lab or in field experiments by Marine Science faculty, as neverbefore. From mixing in stratified jets and their generation andinteraction with internal waves, to sedimentation of particles in stratified fluids and theirentrainment phenomena, to large internal solitary wave propagation from deep toshallow topography with forcing and breaking, to boundary layer sedimenttransport by surface wave motion, the host of experiments that the new instrumentationmakes possible is such as to guarantee intensive usage for many years to come.The modularity of the new wave tank is designed so that each module can serve a differentpurpose, as well as allowing simultaneous experiments to take place in thedifferent modules. This will optimize time sharing as well as usage of resources.The destructive powers of water, set in motion by large natural forces, have been painfullyillustrated by the tragic events that marked the recent past. Tsunamis andhurricane surges have taken untold lives, and cost hundreds of billions ofdollars in damage. The primary means to mitigate the effects of these uncontrollablenatural forces is accurate prediction and forecast, which in turn relies on fundamentalunderstanding of the physical phenomena at play. Close integration of experimentaland mathematical modelling is becoming more and more recognized as the mostsuccessful approach to study this range of fluids problems. The proposed instrumentationis dedicated to the study of the relevant physical processes that govern the dynamics ofwater emulating these natural events, with the ultimate goal of improving predictive capabilities.The visual appeal of fluid motion and the challenge of its mathematical modelingwill further extend the proposed instrumentation into a primary educational tool ableto attract bright undergraduate students to careers in the sciences, thereby increasingthe competency of our workforce in these fields of national interest.