Celebrating the physics of all that flows with Nicole Sharp, Ph.D.
- Profile
Fluidic Public Art by Charles Sowers
Artist Charles Sowers creates exhibits and public art focused on illuminating natural phenomenon that might otherwise go unnoticed, and much of his work features fluid dynamics directly or indirectly. “Windswept” and “Wave Wall” are both outdoor exhibits that show undulations and vortices corresponding to local wind flow. Other pieces explore ferrofluids through magnetic mazes or feature foggy…
Reader Question: How Useful is Flow Viz?
Reader Andrew asks: I’ve noticed you’ve posted a bunch of flow visualization/wind tunnel content. I’m just curious where how useful information is obtained from these. Is it just observation? Or are there instruments that are usually used in conjunction with these techniques to provide data? Great question, Andrew! The answer can vary based on the…
Detonation in a Bubble
Accidental releases of combustible gases in unconfined spaces can be difficult to recreate in a laboratory environment. Here researchers simulate the conditions using detonation inside a soap film bubble. Combustible gases are pumped inside the soap film and then a spark creates ignition. The resulting flame propagation is visualized using high-speed schlieren photography, making the…
Accidental Painting
Artist D. A. Siqueiros sometimes used a technique he referred to as “accidental painting” in his work, in which he would pour a layer of one color of paint and then pour a second color over it. The two colors would mix in striking patterns. Here researchers recreate the technique and analyze the fluid dynamics…
Donut-Shaped Bubbles
Here researchers simulate rain-like droplet impacts with large drops of water falling into a tank from several meters. The momentum of such an impact is significantly higher than many other droplet impact examples we’ve featured. In this case, the coronet, or crown-like splash, caused by the collision collapses quickly, closing the fluid canopy around a…
Green Fingers
Differences in surface tension between two layers of fluid can cause fascinating finger-like instabilities. Here glycerol is spread in a thin film on a silicon wafer. Then a wire coated in oleic acid, which has a lower surface tension than glycerol, was touched to the wafer. As the oleic acid spreads across the film surface,…
“Millefiori”
In “Millefiori” artist Fabian Oefner mixes watercolors with ferrofluids to create bright fluid microcosms. Each photograph represents an area about the size of a thumbnail. Ferrofluids contain iron-based nanoparticles suspended in a carrier fluid and thus respond to magnetic fields. They can form sharp points, labyrinthine mazes, or even brain-like patterns depending on the magnetic field and…
Dribbling Droplets
Ethanol droplets on a hot copper plate bounce under the influence of electrostatic forces from a charged rod. The temperature of the plate is high enough that the droplet is supported by a thin vapor film, which is what keeps it from wetting the plate. Ethanol does not have the strong polarity that water does,…
Polygonal Jumps
Hydraulic jumps occur when a fast-moving fluid enters a region of slow-moving fluid and transfers its kinetic energy into potential energy by increasing its elevation. For a steady falling jet, this usually causes the formation of a circular hydraulic jump–that distinctive ring you see in the bottom of your kitchen sink. But circles aren’t the…
Spray Starch
High speed video of of spray starch from a can. Once the initial transients die down, a cone-shaped annular sheet forms. Disturbances propagate in the sheet, tearing it into filaments that break down into droplets. Beautiful complexity hidden in a simple everyday device. (Video credit: John Savage)