Publications
Properties of the mean momentum balance in polymer drag-reduced channel flow
Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 834, 409-433, 2017
Status: Published
Citations:
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Abstract: Mean momentum equation based analysis of polymer drag-reduced channel flow is performed to evaluate the redistribution of mean momentum and the mechanisms underlying the redistribution processes. Similar to channel flow of Newtonian fluids, polymer drag-reduced channel flow is shown to exhibit a four layer structure in the mean balance of forces that also connects, via the mean momentum equation, to an underlying scaling layer hierarchy. The self-similar properties of the flow related to the layer hierarchy appear to persist, but in an altered form (different from the Newtonian fluid flow), and dependent on the level of drag reduction. With increasing drag reduction, polymer stress usurps the role of the inertial mechanism, and because of this the wall-normal position where inertially dominated mean dynamics occurs moves outward, and viscous effects become increasingly important farther from the wall. For the high drag reduction flows of the present study, viscous effects become non-negligible across the entire hierarchy and an inertially dominated logarithmic scaling region ceases to exist. It follows that the state of maximum drag reduction is attained only after the inertial sublayer is eradicated. According to the present mean equation theory, this coincides with the loss of a region of logarithmic dependence in the mean profile.
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Bongard's work focuses on understanding the general nature of cognition, regardless of whether it is found in humans, animals or robots. This unique approach focuses on the role that morphology and evolution plays in cognition. Addressing these questions has taken him into the fields of biology, psychology, engineering and computer science.
Continuous Self-Modeling. Science 314, 1118 (2006). [Journal Page]

Danforth is an applied mathematician interested in modeling a variety of physical, biological, and social phenomenon. He has applied principles of chaos theory to improve weather forecasts as a member of the Mathematics and Climate Research Network, and developed a real-time remote sensor of global happiness using messages from Twitter: the Hedonometer. Danforth co-runs the Computational Story Lab with Peter Dodds, and helps run UVM's reading group on complexity.

Laurent studies the interaction of structure and dynamics. His research involves network theory, statistical physics and nonlinear dynamics along with their applications in epidemiology, ecology, biology, and sociology. Recent projects include comparing complex networks of different nature, the coevolution of human behavior and infectious diseases, understanding the role of forest shape in determining stability of tropical forests, as well as the impact of echo chambers in political discussions.

Hines' work broadly focuses on finding ways to make electric energy more reliable, more affordable, with less environmental impact. Particular topics of interest include understanding the mechanisms by which small problems in the power grid become large blackouts, identifying and mitigating the stresses caused by large amounts of electric vehicle charging, and quantifying the impact of high penetrations of wind/solar on electricity systems.

Bagrow's interests include: Complex Networks (community detection, social modeling and human dynamics, statistical phenomena, graph similarity and isomorphism), Statistical Physics (non-equilibrium methods, phase transitions, percolation, interacting particle systems, spin glasses), and Optimization(glassy techniques such as simulated/quantum annealing, (non-gradient) minimization of noisy objective functions).