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EPSRC Reference: GR/S95107/01
Title: Gravity currents and internal waves in a stratified ambient in two-dimensional and axisymmetric geometries.
Principal Investigator: Huppert, Professor H E
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Applied Maths and Theoretical Physics
Organisation: University of Cambridge
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 11 July 2004 Ends: 10 July 2005 Value (£): 9,234
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Continuum Mechanics Numerical Analysis
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
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Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
We aim to determine the internal wave field generated when a gravity current or intrusion is initiated by release of a constant volume of fluid into a stratified ambient. Previous theoretical investigations by the proposers, based on a shallow water model and the assumption of a high Reynolds number flow, yielded good results in excellent agreement with experiments for the initial stages of motion, but are limited by the assumption of a quiescent ambient. Here attention will concentrate on the subsequent motion where waves are produced in the ambient by the propagation of the current and interact with its head. The study will be performed by: (1) numerical Navier-Stokes simulations of the flow, developing a new program to solve the appropriate Navier Stokes equation; and (2) analytical investigations of the interactions between internal waves and an impulsively-started flow of a stratified fluid over a deformable obstacle representing the gravity current. The results will be compared with available experimental data, and incorporated into an improved shallow-water predictive model. This research is of fundamental concern and will be published in international journals. It is expected to provide knowledge applicable to industrial mixing processes and environmental control problems.
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Organisation Website: http://www.cam.ac.uk