Vertical Particle Research Articles

Energy and flux budget closure theory for passive scalar in stably stratified turbulence

The energy and flux budget (EFB) closure theory for a passive scalar (non-buoyant and non-inertial particles or gaseous admixtures) is developed for stably stratified turbulence. The physical background of the EFB turbulence closures is based on the budget equations for the turbulent kinetic and potential energies and turbulent fluxes of momentum and buoyancy as well as the turbulent flux of particles. The EFB turbulence closure is designed for stratified geophysical flows from neutral to very stable stratification, and it implies that turbulence is maintained by the velocity shear at any stratification. In a steady-state, expressions for the turbulent flux of the passive scalar and the anisotropic non-symmetric turbulent diffusion tensor are derived, and universal flux Richardson number dependencies of the components of this tensor are obtained. The diagonal component in the vertical direction of the turbulent diffusion tensor is suppressed by strong stratification, while the diagonal components in the horizontal directions are not suppressed, but they are dominant in comparison with the other components of the turbulent diffusion tensor. This implies that any initially created strongly inhomogeneous particle cloud is evolved into a thin pancake in a horizontal plane with very slow increase in its thickness in the vertical direction. The turbulent Schmidt number (the ratio of the eddy viscosity and the vertical turbulent diffusivity of the passive scalar) linearly increases with the gradient Richardson number. The physics of such a behavior is related to the buoyancy force that causes a correlation between fluctuations of the potential temperature and the particle number density. This correlation that is proportional to the product of the vertical turbulent particle flux and the vertical gradient of the mean potential temperature reduces the vertical turbulent particle flux. Considering the applications of these results to the atmospheric boundary-layer turbulence, the theoretical relationships are derived, which allows us to determine the turbulent diffusion tensor as a function of the vertical coordinate measured in the units of the local Obukhov length scale. The obtained relations are potentially useful in modeling applications of particle dispersion in the atmospheric boundary-layer turbulence and free atmosphere turbulence.

Subsurface dynamics of buoyant microplastics subject to algal biofouling

AbstractMathematical modeling offers an avenue to predict distributions of microplastics in the ocean. With this goal in mind this study presents a simple analytic model describing the deterministic dynamics of long‐time vertical motion of buoyant microplastics that have succumbed to biofouling in a quiescent ocean. The model couples equations governing vertical particle position and algal population dynamics and is formulated in a nondimensional frame work to determine the minimum number of system parameters. We present results which give a comprehensive understanding of the system's key dynamics when varying four parameters. Previous studies have shown that biofouling causes microplastic particles to oscillate below the ocean's surface; however, for the first time we are able to identify the fundamental processes that govern the microplastic trajectories. The model demonstrates that plastic particle properties are the biggest factor in determining the period and characteristics of the oscillation profile, while the algal population dynamics determine the maximum depth reached. As the fouled particles cross the pycnocline their long‐term behavior is to become trapped within a subsurface layer, bounded by the depth of the euphotic zone and the seasonal pycnocline. The smallest particles are extremely sensitive to algal cell attachment and growth suggesting they are always submerged at depths surrounding the base of the euphotic zone or could become trapped in large algal colonies. In general, the results suggest that a higher concentration of biofouled microplastic is expected to be found subsurface, trapped close to the euphotic zone depth rather than at the ocean's surface.

Direct Numerical Simulation of Sediment Transport in Turbulent Open Channel Flow Using the Lattice Boltzmann Method

The lattice Boltzmann method is employed to conduct direct numerical simulations of turbulent open channel flows with the presence of finite-size spherical sediment particles. The uniform particles have a diameter of approximately 18 wall units and a density of ρp=2.65ρf, where ρp and ρf are the particle and fluid densities, respectively. Three low particle volume fractions ϕ=0.11%, 0.22%, and 0.44% are used to investigate the particle-turbulence interactions. Simulation results indicate that particles are found to result in a more isotropic distribution of fluid turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) among different velocity components, and a more homogeneous distribution of the fluid TKE in the wall-normal direction. Particles tend to accumulate in the near-wall region due to the settling effect and they preferentially reside in low-speed streaks. The vertical particle volume fraction profiles are self-similar when normalized by the total particle volume fractions. Moreover, several typical transport modes of the sediment particles, such as resuspension, saltation, and rolling, are captured by tracking the trajectories of particles. Finally, the vertical profiles of particle concentration are shown to be consistent with a kinetic model.

On the Motion of Single and Twin Oblique Particle Clouds in Stagnant Water

Abstract The evolution of single and twin oblique particle clouds in stagnant water was investigated using a series of laboratory experiments and the effects of controlling parameters such as sand mass and nozzle spacing were studied. The time variations of particle cloud properties such as frontal position, horizontal and vertical centroids, cloud width, and frontal velocity were measured using image analysis and particle image velocimetry (PIV) techniques. The entrainment coefficients were extracted from the measurements. It was found that the main vortex motion of the frontal heads altered after the collision and a new integrated frontal head was formed. The effects of release angle and particle interactions were studied by comparing the time histories of maximum centerline velocities. It was found that the centerline velocity of twin oblique particle clouds in comparison with twin vertical particle clouds increased with increasing nozzle spacing. The time history of the ratio of horizontal to vertical centroids in oblique particle clouds determined the potential location of sand particles and a practical model was developed to determine the size and location of particle clouds with time. The time histories of normalized cloud width indicated a significant change after the frontal head collision. The particle interactions due to frontal head collision in twin oblique particle clouds significantly increased the cloud width until particle clouds reached the swarm phase. The time at which twin oblique particle clouds reached the swarm phase was recorded and a linear model was proposed to link the time to reach the swarm phase with the cloud aspect ratio and nozzle spacing.

Mechanisms governing the settling velocities and spatial distributions of inertial particles in wall-bounded turbulence

We use theory and Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) to explore the average vertical velocities and spatial distributions of inertial particles settling in a wall-bounded turbulent flow. The theory is based on the exact phase-space equation for the Probability Density Function describing particle positions and velocities. This allowed us to identify the distinct physical mechanisms governing the particle transport. We then examined the asymptotic behavior of the particle motion near the wall, revealing the fundamental differences to the near wall behavior that is produced when incorporating gravitational settling. When the average vertical particle mass flux is zero, the averaged vertical particle velocity is zero away from the wall due to the particles preferentially sampling regions where the fluid velocity is positive, which balances with the downward Stokes settling velocity. When the average mass flux is negative, the combined effects of turbulence and particle inertia lead to average vertical particle velocities that can significantly exceed the Stokes settling velocity, by as much as ten times. Sufficiently far from the wall, the enhanced vertical velocities are due to the preferential sweeping mechanism. However, as the particles approach the wall, the contribution from the preferential sweeping mechanism becomes small, and a downward contribution from the turbophoretic velocity dominates the behavior. Close to the wall, the particle concentration grows as a power-law, but the nature of this power law depends on the particle Stokes number. Finally, our results highlight how the Rouse model of particle concentration is to be modified for particles with finite inertia.

The Influence of Particle Concentration on the Formation of Settling-Driven Gravitational Instabilities at the Base of Volcanic Clouds

Settling-driven gravitational instabilities observed at the base of volcanic ash clouds have the potential to play a substantial role in volcanic ash sedimentation. They originate from a narrow, gravitationally unstable region called a Particle Boundary Layer (PBL) that forms at the lower cloud-atmosphere interface and generates downward-moving ash fingers that enhance the ash sedimentation rate. We use scaled laboratory experiments in combination with particle imaging and Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) techniques to investigate the effect of particle concentration on PBL and finger formation. Results show that, as particles settle across an initial density interface and are incorporated within the dense underlying fluid, the PBL grows below the interface as a narrow region of small excess density. This detaches upon reaching a critical thickness, that scales with (ν2/g′)1/3, where ν is the kinematic viscosity and g′ is the reduced gravity of the PBL, leading to the formation of fingers. During this process, the fluid above and below the interface remains poorly mixed, with only small quantities of the upper fluid phase being injected through fingers. In addition, our measurements confirm previous findings over a wider set of initial conditions that show that both the number of fingers and their velocity increase with particle concentration. We also quantify how the vertical particle mass flux below the particle suspension evolves with time and with the particle concentration. Finally, we identify a dimensionless number that depends on the measurable cloud mass-loading and thickness, which can be used to assess the potential for settling-driven gravitational instabilities to form. Our results suggest that fingers from volcanic clouds characterised by high ash concentrations not only are more likely to develop, but they are also expected to form more quickly and propagate at higher velocities than fingers associated with ash-poor clouds.

Studies on Bearing Characteristic of Open-Ended and Close-Ended Pipe Piles under High-Speed Railway Loadings

The pile foundation under a high-speed railway (HSR) not only bears the self-weight of the superstructure, but also bears a long-term vertical periodic load during its service. In this study, a large-scale vertical dynamic load test and particle flow numerical simulation method were adopted to investigate the axial cyclic performances of open piles in sand. The results from the dynamic test show that under a dynamic load with cyclic load ratios of 0.1 and 0.2, the surface displacement of the pile decays rapidly as the pile distance increases. Moreover, the higher the vibration amplitude and frequency, the larger the surface displacement. The influence range of the soil around the pile is approximately six times of the pile diameter. It is also found that the external frictional resistance of the upper part of the pile decreases, whereas that of the middle part increases. In addition, the internal friction resistance of the lower part of the pile decreases and gradually stabilizes after approximately 200 cycles. The simulation results show that the influence range of the pile on the surrounding soil is approximately 5–8 times the diameter of the pile under the action of dynamic loading; the vertical displacement of the pile mainly occurs at the beginning of the cycles. The total settlement of the pile foundation increases with an increase in the cyclic load ratio. With an increase in the cycle period, the friction resistance values on the outside of the pile and middle part significantly decrease and increase, respectively. After 10 cycles, the resistance gradually stabilizes, and no evident changes in the internal friction resistance of the pile are observed.

Vortex in a strongly coupled dusty plasma embedded in an external magnetic field

Vortex motion of a dust fluid suspended in an argon rf power has been investigated for both the kinetic and hydrodynamic limit of a strongly coupled compressible dusty plasma below crystallization limit. Dust particles are confined by a radial weak electric field under the influence of a strong vertical magnetic field, dust-dust correlation, ion drag, particle attachment, grains drift, and diffusion. Radial distribution of different vortex properties is observed numerically. Modifications of those properties due to the variations in grain size and ion temperature are compared between hydrodynamic and kinetic limits and are found to be more prominent in the hydrodynamic regime. With the decreasing correlation among the grains, the range of radial distribution of dust particles expands and the influence of shear rotation increases. Moreover, vortex flow dissipation is found to be enhanced at a large rate in the case of hydrodynamic limit compared to the case of kinetic one.

The Development of Volcanic Ash Cloud Layers over Hours to Days Due to Atmospheric Turbulence Layering

Volcanic ash clouds often become multilayered and thin with distance from the vent. We explore one mechanism for the development of this layered structure. We review data on the characteristics of turbulence layering in the free atmosphere, as well as examples of observations of layered clouds both near-vent and distally. We then explore dispersion models that explicitly use the observed layered structure of atmospheric turbulence. The results suggest that the alternation of turbulent and quiescent atmospheric layers provides one mechanism for the development of multilayered ash clouds by modulating vertical particle motion. The largest particles, generally μ>100 μm, are little affected by turbulence. For particles in which both settling and turbulent diffusion are important to vertical motion, mostly in the range of 10–100 μμm, the greater turbulence intensity and more rapid turbulent diffusion in some layers causes these particles to spend greater time in the more turbulent layers, leading to a layering of concentration. The results may have important implications for ash cloud forecasting and aviation safety.

Noise types and their attenuation in towed marine seismic: A tutorial

The presence of noise in towed marine seismic data is a long-standing problem. The various types of noise present in marine seismic records are never truly random. Instead, seismic noise is more complex and often challenging to attenuate in seismic data processing. Therefore, we have examined a wide range of real data examples contaminated by different types of noise including swell noise, seismic interference noise, strumming noise, passing vessel noise, vertical particle velocity noise, streamer hit and fishing gear noise, snapping shrimp noise, spike-like noise, cross-feed noise, and streamer-mounted device noise. The noise examples investigated focus only on data acquired with analog group forming. Each noise type is classified based on its origin, coherency, and frequency content. We then determine how the noise component can be effectively attenuated through industry-standard seismic processing techniques. In this tutorial, we avoid presenting the finest details of either the physics of the different types of noise themselves or the noise attenuation algorithms applied. Rather, we focus on presenting the noise problems themselves and find out how well the community is able to address such noise. Our aim is that, based on the provided insights, the geophysical community will be able to gain an appreciation of some of the most common types of noise encountered in marine towed seismic, in the hope to inspire more researchers to focus their attention on noise problems with greater potential industry impact.

Tsunami-generated magnetic fields have primary and secondary arrivals like seismic waves

A seafloor geomagnetic observatory in the northwest Pacific has provided very long vector geomagnetic time-series. It was found that the time-series include significant magnetic signals generated by a few giant tsunami events including the 2011 Tohoku Tsunami. Here we report that the tsunami-generated magnetic fields consist of the weak but first arriving field, and the strong but second arriving field—similar to the P- and S-waves in seismology. The latter field is a result of coupling between horizontal particle motions of the conductive seawater and the vertical component of the background geomagnetic main field, which have been studied well so far. On the other hand, the former field stems from coupling between vertical particle motions and the horizontal component of the geomagnetic main field parallel to tsunami propagation direction. The former field has been paid less attention because horizontal particle motions are dominant in the Earth’s oceans. It, however, was shown that not only the latter but also the former field is significant especially around the magnetic equator where the vertical component of the background magnetic field vanishes. This implies that global tsunami early warning using tsunami-generated magnetic fields is possible even in the absence of the background vertical geomagnetic component.

Insights From the Particle Impact Model Into the High‐Frequency Seismic Signature of Debris Flows

AbstractDebris flows induce seismic ground unrest detectable over large distances. However, recent theoretical description of debris‐flow seismograms has yet to be implemented in alarm systems. Here, we test the implications of a particle impact model for debris‐flow detection and warning using seismic data. We analyze 14 debris flows at Illgraben, Switzerland, using instantaneous weight measurements, a seismic network and video footage. A novel approach to simulate seismic wave propagation estimates both vertical and horizontal particle impact forces on the ground. Scaling between impact forces, weight, and particle sizes suggests that seismic data identify destructive debris flows with large boulders. Impact force spectra change with bed topography and increase during flow propagation of large events, but decrease for smaller events. This can be explained with the known conveyor mechanism concentrating boulders at the flow front. Our results highlight opportunities to use seismic data for debris‐flow research and warning.

Fine particle flow pattern and region delimitation in fountain confined conical spouted beds

A novel borescopic technique together with the monitoring of pressure fluctuation signals (power spectral distribution, PSD) has been used to track fine particles and characterize solid flow dynamics in fountain confined conical spouted beds. Radial and axial particle velocity profiles have been obtained for different configurations, and spout-annulus and fountain core-periphery interfaces have been delineated. The downward particle velocities in the annulus peak at intermediate positions in this zone, whereas the upward velocities in the dilute zones (spout and fountain core) peak at the axis or close to this position. Among the different configurations analysed in this work, the system without draft tube shows the greatest vertical particle velocities in almost all the different radial and axial positions. The evolution of the spout size along the bed depends on the configuration used, but all of them differ from those commonly reported in the literature. Thus, the spout expands from the bed bottom to the surface, without any neck at an intermediate bed level. Furthermore, the cross-sectional spout shape has been delineated in the systems with open-sided draft tube, and significant spout expansion is observed due to air percolation from the spout into the annulus through the opened faces. Finally, the average spout diameters of the systems without draft tube and with open-sided draft tubes have been compared with those predicted by literature correlations. Those proposed by San José et al. and Volpicelli et al. provide the best fit for the configurations without draft tube and with open-sided draft tube, with their relative errors being 9.83% and 8.88%, respectively.

Optical properties and effects on direct solar irradiance of aerosols: Asian East case

Atmospheric aerosol is an important factor that affects solar irradiance. In this study, we examined the total atmospheric optical depth, aerosol optical depth AOD and the vertical particle size distribution in East Asia in terms of aerosol type during three years. The temporal variation of the aerosol optical depth for each site showed a constant mode renewed each year, the large AOD0,5 are recorded in spring and summer in an almost periodic manner, with maximums around 0.95 in Seoul, 0.08 in Chiang Mai and 1.34 in EPA-NCU. The particle size distributions under a bimodal lognormal form present a remarkable increase in volume concentration of fine and coarse modes during spring. The aerosols reduce solar irradiance by 37.33 ± 0.78% in Chiang Mai, 33.48 ± 6.43% in EPA-NCU and 38.59 ± 3.86% in Seoul.

Pseudo-acoustic anisotropic reverse-time migration of an ocean-bottom cable dataset acquired in the North Sea

ABSTRACT To improve the computational efficiency of reverse-time migration (RTM) for vertically transverse isotropic (VTI) media, various acoustic approximations of the elastic wave equations have been presented. Among these, the pseudo-acoustic wave equation, which combines differential and scalar operators, has the advantage that it does not produce shear wave artefacts. In this study, we investigate the feasibility of pseudo-acoustic anisotropic RTM (PA-RTM) for the analysis of synthetic and observed ocean-bottom cable (OBC) datasets of the Volve oil field in the North Sea. To analyse the influence of anisotropic parameters on RTM images and the sensitivity of data components to seismic anisotropy, we perform PA-RTM using synthetic data by incorporating various background models, as well as pressure wavefields and vertical particle acceleration. The synthetic experiments demonstrate that the anisotropic parameter ε plays an important role, whereas δ is negligible in PA-RTM for VTI media, and that vertical particle acceleration is less affected by seismic anisotropy than the pressure wavefields. Our experiments using observed data show that reflectors are better imaged by PA-RTM than by isotropic-RTM, particularly near the reservoir below the strongly anisotropic region, which is supported by angle-domain common image gathers. These results indicate that PA-RTM using only the vertical component is a suitable option for VTI media when insufficient seismic anisotropy data are available.

The heavy metal partitioning in the particle flux of the subarctic White Sea (Northwestern Russia)

This research addresses the environmental factors that affect the heavy metal accumulation and partition in the particle fluxes of the White Sea. The particulate material was collected between 2006 and 2014 with sediment traps at 9 stations from depths of 25–220 m to determine its geochemical composition. Contribution of terrigenous and hydrogenous processes was estimated based on the sequential leaching procedure which allowed distinguishing the geochemical fractions: exchangeable, Fe–Mn authigenic oxyhydroxides; organic matter/sulfides; residual (fixed in clastic minerals). Terrigenous processes were dominated in the accumulation of Al, Fe, Cr, Ni, Co, and Mo (60–90% of the total content), while the accumulation of Mn, Cu, Cd, and Pb was primarily associated with hydrogenic processes (authigenic oxyhydroxides' formation, sorption processes, and organic compounds). These two groups of chemical elements demonstrated a different distribution pattern in particle fluxes with water depth. Growth of the total particle fluxes with the water depth took place as a rule against the background of authigenic mineral formation (Fe–Mn oxyhydroxides), a slight increase in the lithogenic components, and the slow destruction of organic matter. In areas, where the vertical particle flux dominates, increased content of elements related to the Fe–Mn oxyhydroxides and bound to organic matter, were detected. The influence of anthropogenic sources based on the criteria of contamination level (EF x and I geo) was found only for Cd in some samples. An insignificant anthropogenic contribution is also possible for Cu and Ni, comparing with the background concentrations.

Particle acceleration and pressure gradient in a solitary wave traveling over a horizontal bed

This study presents experimental data on the hydrodynamic features of a nonlinear solitary wave of height H0 = 2.9 cm propagating over a horizontal bed in otherwise still water depth h0 = 8.0 cm. High-speed particle image velocimetry is used to quantify the local and convective particle accelerations and pressure gradients under the solitary wave. It is found that the magnitudes of the horizontal and vertical particle local accelerations are invariably larger than their convective counterparts, highlighting the important contribution of local acceleration to the pressure gradient in a solitary wave. The dimensionless pressure gradient in the horizontal direction is favorable, zero, and adverse for time before, at, and after the wave crest passes the section of interest. The dimensionless adverse pressure gradient exhibits a maximum for the dimensionless time T[=t(g/h0)1/2, where g is the gravitational acceleration and t is the time with respect to the crest passing the section] = 1.39, at which the dimensionless local acceleration has a negative maximum. Subsequently, flow reversal takes place above the bed surface. The relationship is elucidated between flow reversal at the bed surface and the evolution of the adverse pressure gradient in the near-bed zone, where uniform horizontal/free stream velocity exists.

CFD-DEM simulation of Small-Scale Challenge Problem 1 with EMMS bubble-based structure-dependent drag coefficient

In this study, the energy minimization multi-scale (EMMS)/Bubbling model is coupled with the computational fluid dynamics/discrete element method (CFD-DEM) model via a structure-dependent drag coefficient to simulate the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) small-scale challenge problem using the open-source multiphase flow code MFIX. The numerical predictions are compared against particle velocity measurements obtained from high-speed particle image velocimetry (HSPIV) and differential pressure measurements. The drag-reduction effect of the EMMS bubble-based drag coefficient is observed to significantly improve predictions of the horizontal particle velocity and granular temperature when compared to several other drag coefficients tested; however, the vertical particle velocity and pressure fluctuation characteristic predictions are degraded. The drag-reduction effect is characterized by a reduction in the sizes of slugs or voids, as identified through spectral decomposition of the pressure fluctuations. Overall, this study shows great promise in employing drag coefficients, developed via multi-scale approaches (such as the EMMS paradigm), in CFD-DEM models.

The fingerprints of weathering: Grain size distribution changes along weathering sequences in different lithologies

The weathering mechanisms that cause fragmentation of particles in the transition from bedrock to saprolite and regolith are little known. Yet, their quantification is an important missing link in the development of critical zones. To provide observational underpinning of mechanistic inference, we sampled and analysed the vertically changing particle size distribution in weathering profiles of varying lithology: quartzite, schist, gneiss and shale. The samples were studied for mineral composition by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and assessed whether these were consistent with the field identification. Then, simulations from twelve theoretical particle fragmentation models were confronted to the vertical particle size distribution measured. The models simulate different particle-size implications of physical and chemical weathering, but do not include surface effects on particle size distribution such as armouring. The results demonstrate that the lithology is an important determinant of the rock fragmentation mechanism. Furthermore, it is shown that the rock fragmentation models used here are a useful tool to identify geomorphological processes as soil redistribution or amouring. Further research will need to generate more data on weathering sequences in different environments.

Vector sensor beam steering for underwater acoustic communications

Acoustic Vector Sensors(VS) have been widely used for direction-of-arrival estimation in the past, while the employment of VS for underwater communications is a recent topic. Due to its compact size, VS may be used as a receiver in applications such as on board of Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV), providing higher maneuverability and operational capabilities. Thus, in this study, the communication performance of a VS beam-steering technique is quantified. The performance analysis is made comparing the VS beam-steering with the versus time-reversal method in a shallow water simulation. The underwater channel is given by the seismo-acoustic propagation model, OASES. A Phase Shift Keying(PSK) modulation is adopted and the receiver includes a Decision Feedback Equalizer. An individual analysis of horizontal and vertical particle velocity is made to show the steering effects in the error performance. Moreover, as the steering angle is range-dependent, a comparison between methods is performed varying the range. The result indicates that the optimum steering angle, which brings less error, may not be related to the source direction. Furthermore, the proposed receiver shows the outperformance comparing to the time-reversal in both SNR and range, demonstrating the spatial filter advantage provided by this co-located sensor.