“Parameterizations of the Vertical Mixing Process Relevant
to the Modeling of the Coastal Ocean”
Dr. Thomas Gatski
Department of Ocean, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Old Dominion University
Monday, October 24, 2005
3:30 PM
Room 109, Crittenton Hall
Abstract
Higher-order statistical turbulence closures, relevant to the modeling of the coastal ocean,
are discussed and compared. This includes both the statistical velocity correlations, the Reynolds
stresses and higher moments, and the turbulent scalar fluxes. Commonly accepted differential forms
for the Reynolds stress and turbulent flux equations are presented as well as an outline of the
procedure to extract explicit algebraic models using incomplete tensor representations. This includes
a discussion of non-Boussinesq effects that recent studies suggest need to be considered, as well as
how to properly account for such effects. Some results from an analysis of equilibrium states of
homogeneous buoyant flows are presented to illustrate how parameterizations of ocean turbulence at
the second-moment level can be assessed.
Biography
Dr. Gatski received his Ph.D. degree from The Pennsylvania State University in 1976 in Aerospace
Engineering under the supervision of John Lumley. He then held a post-doctoral research associate
position at Brown University. Dr. Gatski joined NASA at the Langley Research Center in 1977. In 1987,
he was the recipient of a NASA Floyd Thompson Fellowship to Cambridge University, England. During his
career, he has conducted short courses on turbulence at the University of Rome and the University of
Tokyo and has served as an invited or visiting professor at various institutions including the Hong Kong
Polytechnic University, University of Rome, and Ecole Polytechnique Lille. He led the turbulent modeling
effort at Langley, and has worked on a variety of turbulence modeling related areas associated with improved
predictions for aerodynamic flows across a broad speed range. He retired from NASA Langley in early September 2005.
Reception before seminar at 3:00 PM
Crittenton Hall
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA 23529
757-683-5548
Last updated 9/20/2005.
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Copyright Info: Old Dominion University 2005
