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Sam Lewin

Postdoctoral Researcher
University of California, Berkeley
slewin (at) berkeley.edu



Current Research

Nonlinear dynamics and mixing on the inner shelf

image Shoaling internal waves are key drivers of variability in coastal oceans. Working with data from the Inner Shelf Dynamics Experiment alongside theory and numerical models, we are interested in characterizing and modelling key features of breaking internal waves (for example, turbulent scalar and momentum fluxes, and diapycnal mixing). We are finding that the turbulent dynamics are sensitive to properties of the flow over a wide range of scales: see our latest preprint if you want to know more.

Breaking internal waves in a horizontal shear layer

image Following on from work conducted during my PhD, many important properties of sratified turbulent mixing are sensitive to the mechanisms by which small-scale turbulence extracts kinetic and potential energy from larger-scale motions. This can lead to significant deviations away from a commonly assumed turbulent stationary state maintained by vertical shear production. Together with Miles Couchman, we are conduting direct numerical simulations to investigate the curious behaviour of internal wave packets that are refracted by, and eventually break within, a stratified horizontal shear layer. This work was initiated at the Stanford CTR Summer Program 2024: check out some preliminary results in the program proceedings here.


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