The Environmental Fluid Mechanics group at the University of Washington studies the mechanics of fluid flow as it relates to transport and mixing in rivers and estuaries, the coastal ocean, open ocean, and polar oceans. We approach scientific and engineering fluid mechanics problems using a combination of field observations, laboratory experiments, and numerical modeling. Current and recent projects in all of these areas are listed below, with the associated PI.
Rivers
We are particularly interested in the dynamics of the river-ocean interface.
- River plume dynamics
- The Cascadia Coastlines and Peoples Hazards Research Hub (Alex Horner-Devine, Christie Hegermiller)
- Plume in Nearshore Conditions (Alex Horner-Devine, Morteza Derahkti, Yingzhong Lou)
- Flooding and avulsion in the Nooksack River (Alex Horner-Devine, Wuming Ni)
Coasts
- Hurricane coastal impacts project (Jim Thomson, Jake Davis)
- Transient rip current formation and evolution (Nirnimesh Kumar, Melissa Moulton)
- Dissolved Oxygen in Puget Sound (Alex Horner-Devine, Dakota Mascarenas, Aurora Leeson)
Open Ocean
- Waves at Ocean Weather Station Papa (Jim Thomson and Morteza Derakhti)
- Bubble exchange in the Labrador Sea (BELS) experiment (Kee Onn Fong and Craig McNeil)
Polar
We seek to improve understanding of waves and near-surface turbulent mixing processes in the Arctic & Southern Oceans. Recent projects have included:
- Coastal Ocean Dynamics in the Arctic (Jim Thomson, Nirni Kumar, and Lucia Hosekova)