Collaborative Research: CMG--Analysis and Modeling of Rotating Stratified Flows

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This project seeks to understand the fundamental dynamics of the turbulent motions commonly observed in atmospheric and oceanic flow, or more precisely in geophysical flows over a broad range of periodicities induced by stratification and rotation. The scales of motion found in fluid flow, identified by the amount of energy in fluid motions in each spatial scale, are strongly determined by the kinematic quantities which are conserved following the motion. This project uses computationally intensive integrations of Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) models to elucidate the fundamental dynamics which determine the power spectrum of geophysical flows and the transfer of energy between scales. A first-principles theory of the spectral distribution of energy in turbulent fluids has been a grand challenge in fluid dynamics since the inception of the topic. Progress towards such a theory could be transformative for the development of atmospheric and oceanic models, particularly for the development of closure schemes and turbulence parameterizations used in these models. In addition, the work will have a strong educational component, through the education of a graduate student and the mentoring of two postdoctoral researchers. In addition, a workshop is planned for the summer of 2012 on geophysical turbulence. Outreach will be conducted through the Cooperative program for Operational Meteorology, Education, and Training (COMET, at the National Center for Atmospheric Research), through the development of "learning objects" on turbulent flows, to be posted on the COMET website in English, French, and Spanish.