UUM 509E SPRING 2017

Project Topics

The purpose of this assignment is to encourage you to explore the turbulence research literature. Fol-
low theoretical derivations as far as you can. Visit the library (or electronically via citation databases)1
and look at important papers referenced by the authors. As you iterate on this process, you will be-
come aware of a wide range of research ideas, and perhaps even develop some ideas about worthwhile
research problems.

Please communicate to me your first and second choices of an actual topic from the list below (or you
may suggest other choices yourself), not later than Friday March 10. I do recommend picking topics
that you are curious about so as to encourage you to learn something new. Also, please submit a
brief paragraph (hard copy) of your thesis research topic, including (if appropriate) how turbulence or
turbulent flow might play a role.
1. Compressible turbulent flows. This is much less known than incompressible turbulence. It is
known, but not well understood, that mixing tends to be less effective in compressible turbu-
lence.
2. Multiphase turbulent flows. This is important in suspensions of small solid particles or gas
bubbles in a background turbulent flow.
3. Turbulent reacting flow. Clearly, the interaction between turbulence and chemistry is very im-
portant. We can consider the limiting cases of premixed and diffusion flames, as well as finite-
rate chemistry which presents additional changes.
4. Flow control and drag reduction. Current methods include micro-electro-mechanical sensors,
wall-mounted rib lets, polymer additives, etc. How do these methods work, and to what extent
are they effective?
5. Advances in experimental techniques for turbulence. There is interest in experimental facilities
specially constructed to attain high Reynolds numbers.
6. Advances in computation, involving direct and/or large-eddy simulations. Areas of interest
include the latest computational challenges, complex geometries, and various approaches in
subgrid scale modeling.
7. Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence. The flow of electrically conducting fluids may in-
volve complex interactions between the fluid dynamics and magnetic fields.
8. Turbulence in the atmosphere, or in the oceans. Clearly, density changes will be important,
and the flow phenomena will depend strongly on height (or depth). The rotation of the Earth
will have appreciable effects in the upper atmosphere. For the oceans, you can explore the
implications for marine life, such as small organisms largely carried along by the flow.
9. Buoyancy effects in turbulence, especially in the context of the lower atmosphere. Note that
vertical profiles of mean temperature change with day and night, tending to create and suppress
turbulence, respectively.
1
My favorite source is the Science Citation Index, Web of Knowledge. I also recommend a citation search based on
articles that appeared in the Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics.