Dispersion and mixing of elastic filaments in vortical flows

The question of how particles or objects suspended in a turbulent flow mix and spread is crucial to understanding the dispersal of pollutants or viruses in the air, and plankton or salt in the ocean, among a host of other issues. While the case of tiny, rigid particles is rather well understood, we still do not know much about how long, flexible filaments are transported in a flow. This situation is relevant to fibre suspensions in the paper industry and plastic debris in the ocean. In this project, we will use a simple model for a filament along with an idealized vortical flow to gain some insight into dispersion and mixing.

This is primarily a computational project.