Combined Laboratory and Numerical Modeling of the Dynamics of Mid-Ocean Ridges

这项研究是利用实验室和数值流体力学实验对大洋中脊下的对流类型进行的理论和物理相结合的研究。罗德岛大学的实验室研究将涉及一种使用聚乳酸薄片来模拟表面板块运动的设备。浮力将通过沿储罐顶部冷却和沿储罐底部注入不同组成密度的流体或局部加热来提供。数值实验将模拟具有恒定和可变粘性、平板驱动和浮力流动的三维热力和成分对流，(2)热力和成分对流中纵向对流卷的形成和演变，(3)分段对对流的影响，以及(4)深部地幔浮力源的作用。

This study is a combined theoretical and physical study of the style of convection beneath mid-ocean ridges using laboratory and numerical fluid dynamics experiments. Laboratory studies at the University of Rhode Island will involve an apparatus that uses mylar sheets to model the motion of surface plates. Buoyancy will be provided by cooling along the top of the tank and either the injection of fluids with different compositional densities or localized heating along the base of the tank. Numerical experiments will simulate 3-D thermal and compositional convection, with constant and variable viscosity, plate driven and buoyant flow, (2) the formation and evolution of longitudinal convection rolls in thermal and compositional convection, (3) the effect of segmentation on convection, and (4) the role of deep mantle sources of buoyancy.