Byron Huff, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Dropping rocks in buckets of (stratified) water: is it safe?

Abstract:  Under the proper density conditions, a “rock” dropped into a stratified tank of water (with a fresh-water top layer and a salt-water bottom layer) exhibits a surprising reversal of motion that briefly interrupts its descent to the bottom of the tank.  This finding will be presented as an introduction to current research of this phenomenon, which has as its goal the careful study of rock flight time as certain experimental parameters are varied.  Experimental design and methodology will be discussed before the presentation of the preliminary results of the flight time study.  A companion poster detailing the results will be presented by Greg Gipson and Ian Shields during the poster session.  This is work by the  RTG FLUID GROUP TEAM: Roberto Camassa, Greg Gipson, Byron Huff, Richard McLaughlin, Richard Parker, Jonathan Toledo University of North Carolina. Funding by RTG NSF DMS-05022662.

Reference:  N. Abaid, D. Adalsteinsson, Akua Agyapong, and R. M. McLaughlin, “An Internal Splash: Falling Spheres in Stratified Fluids,” Physics of Fluids, 16, no. 5, 1567-1580, 2004.   


Undergraduate Mentors: Rich McLaughlin and Roberto Camassa (UNC)