Numerical investigation of penetrative convection in atmosphere and ocean

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The penetration of convection into stably stratified regions, will be studied examining the implications for mixing and for generation of gravity waves. The project will use numerical simulation of density-stratified incompressible flow as a research tool. The convection will be generated by a suitably chosen simple artificial forcing which can be varied in strength and spatial scale. The simulations will consider the how the penetrative convection leads to mixing of tracers with sources in the convecting region into the stable region and the characteristics of gravity waves that are generated by the penetration. The effects of varying the vertical velocity in the convective plumes, the stratification in the stably stratified region and the vertical shear will all be considered. The parameter regimes explored will be motivated by specific examples in atmosphere and ocean, but the overall emphasis will be on general fluid dynamical principles that govern these types of flows across many different applications.