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We experimentally investigate the effect of geometrical anisotropy for buoyant ellipsoidal particles rising in a still fluid. All other parameters, such as the Galileo number $Ga \approx 6000$ and the particle density ratio $\Gamma \approx 0.53$ are kept constant. The geometrical aspect ratio, $\chi$, of the particle is varied systematically from $\chi$ = 0.2 (oblate) to 5 (prolate). Based on tracking all degrees of particle motion, we identify six regimes characterised by distinct rise dynamics. Firstly, for $0.83 \le \chi \le 1.20$, increased rotational dynamics are observed and the particle flips over semi-regularly in a "tumbling"-like motion. Secondly, for oblate particles with $0.29 \le \chi \le 0.75$, planar regular "zig-zag" motion is observed, where the drag coefficient is independent of $\chi$. Thirdly, for the most extreme oblate geometries ($\chi \le 0.25$) a "flutter"-like behaviour is found, characterised by precession of the oscillation plane and an increase in the drag coefficient. For prolate geometries, we observed two coexisting oscillation modes that contribute to complex trajectories: the first is related to oscillations of the pointing vector and the second corresponds to a motion perpendicular to the particle's symmetry axis. We identify a "longitudinal" regime ($1.33 \le \chi \le 2.5$), where both modes are active and a different one, the "broadside"-regime ($3 \le \chi\le 4$), where only the second mode is present. Remarkably, for the most prolate particles ($\chi = 5$), we observe an entirely different "helical" rise with completely unique features., Comment: 46 pages, 20 figures

In the preparation of Caf\'e Latte, spectacular layer formation can occur between the expresso shot in a glass of milk and the milk itself. Xue et al. (Nat. Commun., vol. 8, 2017, pp. 1-6) showed that the injection velocity of expresso determines the depth of coffee-milk mixture. After a while when a stable stratification forms in the mixture, the layering process can be modelled as a double diffusive convection system with a stably-stratified coffee-milk mixture cooled from the side. More specifically, we perform (two-dimensional) direct numerical simulations of laterally cooled double diffusive convection for a wide parameter range, where the convective flow is driven by a lateral temperature gradient while stabilized by a vertical concentration gradient. When the thermal driving force dominates over the stabilizing force, the flow behaves like vertical convection in which a large-scale circulation develops. However, with increasing strength of the stabilizing force, a meta-stable layered regime emerges. Initially, several vertically-stacked convection rolls develop, and these well-mixed layers are separated by sharp interfaces with large concentration gradients. The initial thickness of these emerging layers can be estimated by balancing the work exerted by thermal driving and the required potential energy to bring fluid out of its equilibrium position in the stably stratified fluid. In the layered regime, we further observe successive layer merging, and eventually only a single convection roll remains. We elucidate the following merging mechanism: As weakened circulation leads to accumulation of hot fluid adjacent to the hot sidewall, larger buoyancy forces associated with hotter fluid eventually break the layer interface. Then two layers merge into a larger layer, and circulation establishes again within the merged structure., Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures

This fluid dynamics video images the different heat transport mechanisms at play when a liquid confined in a vertical Hele-Shaw cell is heated from below. The two-dimensional time resolved temperature field inside the cell is measured by a quantitative Schlieren technique which is detailed in the video., Comment: Includes high res and low res version of video for the APS-DFD gallery of fluid motion 2012 #83753

Using molecular dynamics, we study the nucleation and stability of bulk nanobubble clusters. We study the formation, growth, and final size of bulk nanobubbles. We find that, as long as the bubble-bubble interspacing is small enough, bulk nanobubbles are stable against dissolution. Simple diffusion calculations provide an excellent match with the simulation results, giving insight into the reason for the stability: nanobubbles in a cluster of bulk nanobubbles "protect" each other from diffusion by a shielding effect.

We study surface nanobubbles using molecular dynamics simulation of ternary (gas, liquid, solid) systems of Lennard-Jones fluids. They form for sufficiently low gas solubility in the liquid, i.e., for large relative gas concentration. For strong enough gas-solid attraction, the surface nanobubble is sitting on a gas layer, which forms in between the liquid and the solid. This gas layer is the reason for the universality of the contact angle, which we calculate from the microscopic parameters. Under the present equilibrium conditions the nanobubbles dissolve within less of a microsecond, consistent with the view that the experimentally found nanobubbles are stabilized by a nonequilibrium mechanism., Comment: 5p,4f

3D-Particle Tracking (3D-PTV) and Phase Sensitive Constant Temperature Anemometry in pseudo-turbulence--i.e., flow solely driven by rising bubbles-- were performed to investigate bubble clustering and to obtain the mean bubble rise velocity, distributions of bubble velocities, and energy spectra at dilute gas concentrations ($\alpha \leq2.2$%). To characterize the clustering the pair correlation function $G(r,\theta)$ was calculated. The deformable bubbles with equivalent bubble diameter $d_b=4-5$ mm were found to cluster within a radial distance of a few bubble radii with a preferred vertical orientation. This vertical alignment was present at both small and large scales. For small distances also some horizontal clustering was found. The large number of data-points and the non intrusiveness of PTV allowed to obtain well-converged Probability Density Functions (PDFs) of the bubble velocity. The PDFs had a non-Gaussian form for all velocity components and intermittency effects could be observed. The energy spectrum of the liquid velocity fluctuations decayed with a power law of -3.2, different from the $\approx -5/3$ found for homogeneous isotropic turbulence, but close to the prediction -3 by \cite{lance} for pseudo-turbulence.

We compare experimental data and numerical simulations for the dynamics of inertial particles with finite density in turbulence. In the experiment, bubbles and solid particles are optically tracked in a turbulent flow of water using an Extended Laser Doppler Velocimetry technique. The probability density functions (PDF) of particle accelerations and their auto-correlation in time are computed. Numerical results are obtained from a direct numerical simulation in which a suspension of passive pointwise particles is tracked, with the same finite density and the same response time as in the experiment. We observe a good agreement for both the variance of acceleration and the autocorrelation timescale of the dynamics; small discrepancies on the shape of the acceleration PDF are observed. We discuss the effects induced by the finite size of the particles, not taken into account in the present numerical simulations., Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures

Drops deposited on rough and hydrophobic surfaces can stay suspended with gas pockets underneath the liquid, then showing very low hydrodynamic resistance. When this superhydrophobic state breaks down, the subsequent wetting process can show different dynamical properties. A suitable choice of the geometry can make the wetting front propagate in a stepwise manner leading to {\it square-shaped} wetted area: the front propagation is slow and the patterned surface fills by rows through a {\it zipping} mechanism. The multiple time scale scenario of this wetting process is experimentally characterized and compared to numerical simulations., Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures

It is shown that homogeneous Rayleigh-Benard flow, i.e., Rayleigh-Benard turbulence with periodic boundary conditions in all directions and a volume forcing of the temperature field by a mean gradient, has a family of exact, exponentially growing, separable solutions of the full non-linear system of equations. These solutions are clearly manifest in numerical simulations above a computable critical value of the Rayleigh number. In our numerical simulations they are subject to secondary numerical noise and resolution dependent instabilities that limit their growth to produce statistically steady turbulent transport., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev. E - rapid communications

The phenomenon of irregular cessation and subsequent reversal of the large-scale circulation in turbulent Rayleigh-B\'enard convection is theoretically analysed. The force and thermal balance on a single plume detached from the thermal boundary layer yields a set of coupled nonlinear equations, whose dynamics is related to the Lorenz equations. For Prandtl and Rayleigh numbers in the range $10^{-2} \leq \Pr \leq 10^{3}$ and $10^{7} \leq \Ra \leq 10^{12}$, the model has the following features: (i) chaotic reversals may be exhibited at Ra $\geq 10^{7}$; (ii) the Reynolds number based on the root mean square velocity scales as $\Re_{rms} \sim \Ra^{[0.41 ... 0.47]}$ (depending on Pr), and as $\Re_{rms} \sim \Pr^{-[0.66 ... 0.76]}$ (depending on Ra); and (iii) the mean reversal frequency follows an effective scaling law $\omega / (\nu L^{-2}) \sim \Pr^{-(0.64 \pm 0.01)} \Ra^{0.44 \pm 0.01}$. The phase diagram of the model is sketched, and the observed transitions are discussed., Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures

Numerical simulations of fully developed turbulence driven by a modulated energy input rate or driving force are performed within two dynamical cascade models, the GOY shell model and a reduced wave vector set approximation of the Navier-Stokes equation (REWA). The frequency behavior of the system response is studied and compared with predictions from a variable range mean-field theory, which excludes turbulent fluctuations. In agreement with the mean-field approach we find a constant response amplitude for low driving frequencies and a 1/w-decay of the amplitude for high frequencies. In the mean-field theory, the finite cascade time scale had lead to an oscillating behavior of the response amplitude as a function of the driving frequency. In the simulations of both models we observe the main maximum. The higher maxima and minima are completely washed out by fluctuations., Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, submitted to Phys.Rev. E

Isotropic and homogeneous turbulence driven by an energy input modulated in time is studied within a variable range mean-field theory. The response of the system, observed in the second order moment of the large-scale velocity difference D(L,t)=<<(\u(x+L)-\u(x))^2>>~Re(t)^2$, is calculated for varying modulation frequencies w and weak modulation amplitudes. For low frequencies the system follows the modulation of the driving with almost constant amplitude, whereas for higher driving frequencies the amplitude of the response decreases on average 1/w. In addition, at certain frequencies the amplitude of the response either almost vanishes or is strongly enhanced. These frequencies are connected with the frequency scale of the energy cascade and multiples thereof., Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures

Previous analysis of a Paris turbulence experiment \cite{zoc94,tab95} shows a transition at the Taylor Reynolds number $\rel \approx 700$. Here correlation function data is analyzed which gives further evidence for this transition. It is seen in both the power spectrum and in structure function measurements. Two possible explanations may be offered for this observed transition: that it is intrinsic to the turbulence flow in this closed box experiment or that it is an effect of a change in the flow around the anemometer. We particularly examine a pair of ``probe effects''. The first is a thermal boundary layer which does exist about the probe and does limit the probe response, particularly at high frequencies. Arguments based on simulations of the response and upon observations of dissipation suggests that this effect is only crucial beyond $\rel\approx 2000$. The second effect is produced by vortex shedding behind the probe. This has been seen to produce a large modification in some of the power spectra for large $\rel$. It might also complicate the interpretation of the experimental results. However, there seems to be a remaining range of data for $\rel < 1300$ uncomplicated by these effects, and which are thus suggestive of an intrinsic transition., Comment: uuencoded .ps files. submitted to PRE. 12 figures are sent upon request to jane wang (jw@control.uchicago.edu)