8. Researching fluids and flows

Abstract

‘Researching fluids and flows’ summarizes current research in fluid mechanics by starting with environmental flows, motivated by climate change, and the active fluid dynamics of our changing environment. Examples include atmospheric flows, ocean transport, ice dynamics, flow of rivers and lakes, and the role of stratification. The fluid mechanics of energy is motivated by the desire to build a greener world. Examples include wind farms, natural ventilation, biofuels, pollution transport, and remediation. Complex fluids and materials, including non-Newtonian fluids, can behave as a combination of both fluids and solids. Examples include cosmetic products, granular materials, suspensions, and liquid crystals. It is worth looking at flows on small scales, where a new fundamental understanding of flows at the limit of the continuum scale is now possible. Flows are relevant to the biological world. Examples include locomotion, vascular plants, blood flow, and the fluid dynamics of disease transmission. there are two fundamental mysteries at the heart of fluid mechanics: the nature of turbulence and the mathematical structure of the equations for fluid flows (Navier–Stokes equations).