HR: 16:00h
AN: H14B-01 INVITED    [Abstracts]
TI: Identification of vortices in complex flows
AU: * Chakraborty, P
EM: chakrabo@uiuc.edu
AF: University of Illinois, Department of Geology, 1301 W. Green St, Urbana, IL 61801, United States
AU: Balachandar, S
EM: bala1s@ufl.edu
AF: University of Florida, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, 231 MAE-A, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
AU: Adrian, R J
EM: ronald.adrian@asu.edu
AF: Arizona State University, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, ECG 346, Tempe, AZ 85287, United States
AB: Dating back to Leonardo da Vinci's famous sketches of vortices in turbulent flows, fluid dynamicists for over five centuries have continued to visualize and interpret complex flows in terms of motion of vortices. Nevertheless, much debate surrounds the question of how to unambiguously define vortices in complex flows. This debate has resulted in the availability of many vortex identification criteria---mathematical statements of what constitutes a vortex. Here we review the popularly used local or point- wise vortex identification criteria. Based on local flow kinematics, we describe a unified framework to interpret the similarities and differences in the usage of these criteria. We discuss the limitations on the applicability of these criteria when there is a significant component of vortex interactions. Finally, we provide guidelines for applying these criteria to geophysical flows.
DE: 0530 Data presentation and visualization
DE: 1825 Geomorphology: fluvial (1625)
DE: 3307 Boundary layer processes
DE: 3379 Turbulence (4490)
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting