Mechanical engineer probing complexities of climate, other chaotic systems

To build a better understanding of such complex systems, Paul will use Virginia Tech’s System X supercomputer to conduct large-scale numerical simulations of the chaotic fluid motion that occurs when a shallow fluid layer is heated uniformly from below. The results will be used to probe the origins and basic building blocks of spatiotemporal chaos.

Paul also will explore two transport problems through these simulations. One is the enhancement of combustion efficiency in the presence of fluid velocity fields. An understanding of these dynamics is of direct relevance to important questions regarding energy production and consumption. The second problem is fluid transport driven by the activity of biological organisms suspended in fluid.

“The dynamics of biomass—composed of vast numbers of microorganisms—in oceans and rivers, for example, is an important component of climatology,” Paul said. “In this case, the complex fluid motion is driven by the activity of suspended biological organisms, rather than by thermal fluctuations. The fundamental insights gained through this research could lead to improvements in developing climate models.”

Each CAREER project has an educational component. Paul will work with the Virginia Tech Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity to develop hands-on numerical experiments that will enable pre-college students to explore chaotic dynamics for themselves. The numerical experiments, to be made available on a web site, will demonstrate the difficulty of weather prediction, for example, and the scientific meaning of the popular phrase, “the butterfly effect.” Paul also is developing a new graduate course on spatiotemporal chaos.

Paul joined the Virginia Tech faculty in 2004 after holding post-doctoral positions at the California Institute of Technology and Duke University. He has served visiting appointments at the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences in Cambridge, England, and at the Kavli Institute of Theoretical Physics at the University of California at Santa Barbara.

He completed his Ph.D. and master’s degree in mechanical engineering and his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, all at the University of California at Los Angeles.

To learn more about Paul’s research, visit http://www.me.vt.edu/mpaul.