Journal of Fluid Mechanics Webinar Series: Basile Gallet, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, France

The Leeds Institute for Fluid Dynamics is delighted to partner with the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics at the University of Cambridge, the UK Fluids Network, and the Journal of Fluid Mechanics to deliver a regular webinar series on fluids-related topics.

The autumn edition of the Fluid Mechanics Webinar Series will take place over ten weeks between 2nd October and 4th December 2020. Registration will remain open, and please note that if you have already registered you need not register again.

Video recordings of past webinars will be made available soon. Watch this space!

Speaker: Basile Gallet, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, France

Date/Time: Friday 2nd October, 2020. 4:00 pm BST/11 am EDT

Title: A scaling theory for meridional heat transport in oceans and planetary atmospheres

Abstract: Developing a theory of climate requires an accurate parameterization of the transport induced by turbulent eddies. A major source of turbulence in the mid-latitude planetary atmospheres and oceans is the baroclinic instability of the large-scale flows. I will introduce idealized models of planetary atmospheres and oceanic currents, before presenting a physically based scaling theory that quantitatively predicts the turbulent diffusivity, eddy kinetic energy and mixing length of baroclinic turbulence as a function of the large-scale flow characteristics, the bottom friction and the curvature of the planet (through beta). I will then use the theory as a quantitative parameterization in the case of meridionally dependent forcing, in the fully turbulent regime. Beyond its relevance for climate theories, this work is an intriguing example of a successful closure for a fully turbulent flow.