Current Research Interests

I use a combination of laboratory experiments, numerical simulations and mathematical modelling to examine atmosphere-ocean, environmental and industrial fluid flows. The experiments are designed to serve two purposes: to explore and develop new mathematical models of the dynamics of fluid flows that are not easy to simulate (for example, particle laden flows), and to determine how the results of numerical simulations differ from experiments thereby to derive improved mathematical models (for example, of the parameterization of turbulence).

My research is focused on issues of mixing and transport in stratified fluid flows examining, in particular, nonlinear effects of internal gravity waves, the interaction between internal gravity waves and turbulence, and the evolution of gravity currents and plumes in stratified flows. Recent work is studying particle transport by turbulence, breaking waves and plumes.


Recent Undergraduate Projects

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Settling of precipitating particles

rain downburst

Particle settling from coastal currents

Rhine river outflow

Modelling Ash Cloud Spread From Large Volcanic Eruptions

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Visualization of Internal Solitary Waves using Light Refraction

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Internal Solitary Wave Tunnelling

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Hele-Shaw Experiments on Jets and Flow in Porous Media

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Ongoing Research

(Click on pictures for more detailed information.)
 
Surface Gravity Currents Approaching Slopes

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Settling of Clay in Salt Water

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Anelastic internal gravity waves

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3D inverse tomography for schlieren

 
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Intrusions in stratified fluid

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Mixed-region collapse in stratified fluid

 
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Topographically-generated internal gravity waves

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Weakly nonlinear internal wavepackets

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Propagation and reflection of large amplitude internal gravity waves .

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Excitation of internal gravity waves by oscillating solid bodies.

 
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Solitary waves and internal gravity wave excitation by gravity currents.

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Gravity current stability in a rotating tank with sloping topography.

 
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Turbulent generation of internal gravity waves in a stratified fluid

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Excitation of internal gravity waves in stratified shear flow

 
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Topographic generation of internal gravity waves


Bruce's home page

Department of Physics home page

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences home page