Graduate Student Seminar | Nico Castro-Folker, Gravity currents: what they are and what they do

AMATH Grad Students

Candidate

Nico Castro-Folker | University of Waterloo

Title

Gravity currents: what they are and what they do

Abstract

Gravity currents are motions within a fluid driven by a horizontal change in density. They are ubiquitous in nature, with phenomena as disparate as drafts under doors and lava flows all serving as examples. In this talk I will discuss geophysical examples of gravity currents, focusing on winter lakes and coastal oceans. In these contexts, gravity currents transport heat, nutrients, and pollutants, and are even responsible for the creation of off-shore geological features. I will also discuss lab-scale, three-dimensional numerical simulations used to understand the processes that govern the geophysical examples. This talk will focus on qualitative results and visualizations of gravity currents, so previous knowledge of fluid mechanics is neither expected or required.