CNCS Seminar
Tuesday, September 15, 2009, 2:50pm, 119 Physics
Keith Mertens (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill)
Meandering rivulets on an inclined plane
Abstract:
The study of incline plane flows have drawn much attention in the scientific community due to the striking resemblance with streams in nature. While the physical components of natural river and stream networks are clearly much more complex than for partially wetting non-erosive surfaces, understanding the simpler problem is a crucial step in building accurate models for the more complex system. This talk will begin by deriving the relevant equations of motion for steady state flows in the absence of erosion and sediment transport. With these equations and several experiments as the starting point, we will then postulate what the driving mechanism of meandering is in this setting and generalize the steady state equations to formulate a dynamic model. With this model we will then investigate the scaling laws both spatially and temporally for meandering behavior. We will close (time permitting) by discussing the reintroduction of sediment transport into the flow and how even a moderate concentration of particles effects stream stability quite dramatically.

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