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Research Q & AHydrodynamic Modeling can be a complicated science, as it involves aspects of physics, engineering, and computer science. As Dr. Randall Kolar (RLK) answers some questions about our work, we hope that you get a feeling for what it is about. |
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What is hydrodynamic modeling? |
RLK: Let’s define each word separately.
"Modeling," in this context, refers to the use of scientific principles (mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology) to describe some "real-world" process by a set of governing equations. To make the problem tractable, the equations often involve a number of simplifying assumptions; one key aspect of modeling is to identify which processes to include and which may be neglected. By solving the equations, we then have a tool for predicting the state of the modeled system at some time in the future. Some refer to the whole modeling process as "scientific fortune telling."
"Hydrodynamic" refers to a specific type of model that uses conservation laws from physics (conservation of mass and momentum), coupled with field and laboratory observations, to simulate the movement of fluids. Our particular research looks at how water depth and velocity fields evolve with time subject to various forcings (e.g., wind, tides) in lakes, estuaries, bays, and oceans. |
What are some of the uses of hydrodynamic modeling? |
RLK: Currently, the specific model being developed by our research team, ADCIRC (ADvanced CIRCulation model), is used for a variety of public and private projects, including the following: State of Texas - ecological studies along the intercoastal waterway; US Army Corps of Engineers - impacts of dredging on navigation; State of Louisiana - protection from storm surges along the southern Louisiana coast; US Navy - fleet operations around the world; NOAA - tides and storm surges along the South Atlantic Bight. More recently, ADCIRC has been included as one of a suite of models in the Corps' SMS (Surface Modeling System) software, which is used by private consultants. |
Who supports this work? |
RLK: Many state and federal agencies support the work on ADCIRC, including the National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval Research, the State of Oklahoma, and the Army Corps of Engineers, to name a few. |
What are the future directions of hydrodynamic modeling? What will be the areas of research interest in five or 10 years? |
RLK: As computer processing power has increased, so has our ability to simulate large domains with increased grid resolution, and this trend will continue as we move more fully into 4D (space and time) simulations. Four areas, in particular, will dominate the near-term research: 1) data assimilation, wherein real-time field measurements are used to “correct” the model; 2) interactive steering of the model over distributed networks; 3) coupling the hydrodynamic model with meteorological and hydrologic models to more effectively capture system behavior; 4) ecological studies that couple the hydrodynamic model to a water quality model. |
What kind of background is required to do this type of research? |
RLK: Students interested in hydrodynamic modeling should have an aptitude and background in advanced mathematics, physics, numerical methods, and computer programming. |
What are the potential job opportunities in this field? |
RLK: Graduates of the program can expect to find job opportunities in many areas, including federal research laboratories, state natural resource agencies, private consulting, industry, and academia. |
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