Location
MC 5501
Speaker
Jason Olsthoorn, Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at Queen’s University
Title
Sediment Resuspension Driven by Internal Solitary Waves
Abstract
Internal solitary waves (ISWs) are large-amplitude, nonlinear waves that propagate along internal stratified interfaces and can drive sediment transport on continental shelves and lakebeds. This presentation will focus on how ISWs trigger sediment resuspension and bedform evolution through wave-driven flow instabilities. Laboratory experiments and numerical simulations reveal that ISWs generate intense near-bed shear and vortex formation at the sediment interface, causing localized sediment mobilization and vertical transport. Resuspension intensity depends on grain size, bed roughness, and bathymetric features, which amplify flow instabilities and enhance sediment transport. These results highlight the potential significance of ISWs on sediment and contaminant transport in stratified aquatic environments.
Bio
Jason completed his PhD at DAMTP at the University of Cambridge, and his master’s in applied mathematics at the University of Waterloo. His research focuses on fluid transport and mixing processes, with recent projects addressing lake-scale modeling and contaminant transport.